Vaginal discharge is meant to be a natural occurrence as a woman goes through the various phases of her menstrual cycle and pregnancy. At different stages of the cycle discharge may vary in colour, thickness and quantity. Most often these are normal even though they can be signs of abnormalities and disease processes.
However, it can sometimes be difficult to detect if something is going wrong because some vaginal diseases do not present with symptoms. This makes it important to observe and understand the various forms of discharge and what they may be indicative of. The likelihood of a disease is what makes it necessary to seek medical care if you find any strange changes.
Vagina and Secretions
The vagina is the channel between the outside world and internal structures of the female reproductive system. It has elastic walls with inner lining which are regularly lubricated by mucous produced by specialized glands. This makes the vagina accommodating of the penis during sexual intercourse and the movement of a baby during delivery. A group of organisms called normal flora live in the vagina and do not cause harm until the immune system is weakened.
Under normal circumstances these normal flora offer protection from other harmful disease causing organisms. Due to the vagina’s exposure to the outside world, it is prone to entry by foreign organisms and substances. This is why it must maintain an acidic environment to kill as many harmful organisms as possible. The vagina also keeps some of its dangers away through its opening, the vulva. The vulva provides a covering that limits the exposure of the vagina to the world.
Some of its normal flora, the lactobacilli, also produces regular secretions which keep it cleansed. These secretions, often mixed with mucous and skin cells, come out as the discharge women observe. They are frequently only a result of natural processes which are important for the maintenance of good vaginal health.
Vaginal Discharge And The Menstrual Cycle
Hormones released during the menstrual cycle, influence secretion of different types of mucous. This is a way the body controls pregnancy. Around the period of ovulation, mucous becomes clear, thin and more permeable to allow sperms to pass through readily. This allows the movement of the sperms through the cervix to fertilize the released egg and it is a fertile period. Before this period, mucous is thick and less permeable and protects from infection, one such is cervical mucus. This is non fertile period.
The hormones ensure that sperms are allowed into the womb more readily when there is a high likelihood for pregnancy to occur. Consequently, it is normal to have discharge of varying quality at different periods of the month. In this regard, discharge which is off-white, white or transparent without any accompanying symptoms, in most cases should not cause panic.
Types Of Vaginal Discharge
It is important to understand the varying types of vaginal discharge and their implications. This makes it easier to distinguish the normal from the abnormal.
Normal Discharge
- White: Whitish discharge is expected at the beginning of a woman’s cycle and often should not cause alarm, in the absence of accompanying symptoms like itching.
- Clear and Watery: This is normal and can occur at any time. It may become excess after exercise.
- Clear and Stretchy: This is normal around the time of ovulation. This mucus texture is good for the passage of sperm across the cervix. It is clear and stretchy and mucous like.
- Brown that follows blood flow: It is not uncommon to observe brown discharge right after blood flow. This is normal and results when mucous and normal vaginal secretions get mixed with blood cells.
- Bloody or brown discharge is common and if it occurs late at the end of periods it looks brown instead of red.
- Bloody discharge between periods is called as spotting, some women experience bloody discharge between periods. If spotting occurs in normal time of period it is a sign of pregnancy.
- Spotting occurred during early pregnancy could be a miscarriage. Rarely bloody or brown discharge could be sign of advanced cervical cancer.
Abnormal Discharge
A coloration that deviates from transparent, white, off-white or brown right after blood flow, calls for examination.
- White Discharge accompanied by itching or other symptoms should not be ignored as it may be indicative of a fungal infection.
- Yellow or Green : This often signals an underlying infection and warrants a medical examination.
- Brown that does not follow blood flow: Brown discharge which does not occur after blood flow warrants examination.
White Discharge Types
- Creamy white milky discharge (thin)
- Thick White discharge
- Thick White Clumpy discharge
1. Creamy White Milky Discharge (thin)
During ovulation, estrogen levels are high and women experience heavy thin discharge. Thin, clear and stretchy discharge indicate fertile period and occur during ovulation period.
Creamy white discharge is one of the early signs of pregnancy when it happens after a missed period. Creamy and thin discharge can be completely odourless or with mild odour.