ovulation bleeding or am I pregnant

my period is on 11th of August. and today when I woke up, the blood was a bit red, like when I am about to go on my periods. so I'm really confused. cuz we had protected sex, but I'm not sure if the condom broke or what. so I'm reaaaaaaaaaly confused. but ill wait and see if I get my period or what

Hello Anonymous,

Welcome to EmpowHER. Thank you for reaching out to our community for help.

Brown discharge during ovulation is quite normal.

During ovulation, the follicle that surrounds and protects the egg, tends to mature and grow. Eventually these will rupture and this can result in a small amount of bleeding. When the blood gets older, it gradually turns from a deep red color to brown. These brown fragments are older bits of blood which is seen in the form of a brownish secretion around ovulation. This entire process is controlled by the body’s hormones. When the estrogen level rises after menstruation, it causes a hormone called ‘Luteinizing hormone’ (LH) to rise as well. Whenever this happens, it gives a signal to a woman’s body to let the egg release from the egg follicles. This results in ovulation. Along with the release of the egg, a slight bloody discharge is noticed.

Eight days of this seems a bit long. You might speak with your gynecologist about this. If your period for August is late, take a home pregnancy test. With an early response test, you can test five days before your period is due.

Let us know what happens,
Maryann