What Does Your Discharge Say About Your Vaginal Health?
Vaginal discharge is a fluid produced by your uterus, cervix, and vagina that is mainly made up of cells and bacteria. It’s totally normal – think of it as Lady V’s way of “flushing out” all the gunk so she can stay clean, healthy, and keep doin’ her thing. It’s normally clear, white, or off-white, but a variety of factors (such as your period, diet, sex life, etc.) can affect the color, texture, and amount of your discharge.
Changes in discharge can be the first sign of infection or other health problems. It’s important to monitor your discharge and know what’s normal for your body so you can recognize changes that may be alerting you to the health of your vagina.
Color
Clear, White, or Off-White: Discharge that is clear, white, or off-white usually has a milky texture and is a sign that your vagina is in good health. Even cream or light yellow is considered “normal,” healthy and means Lady V is working properly.
Red: Red discharge usually occurs around your period as a result of blood mixing with the discharge. It’s pretty normal to experience bloody discharge during menstruation, and isn’t a cause for concern unless it occurs between periods.
Green/Yellow: Discharge that’s dark yellow or even green could signal a bacterial infection or a sexually transmitted infection, especially if it’s thick, clumpy, or strong-smelling.
Gray: Gray discharge is a common symptom of bacterial vaginosis, or BV, which is an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina.
Texture
Watery/Thin: Watery or thin discharge is normal and can be more common during sexual arousal, ovulation, or pregnancy.
Sticky: Sticky discharge is also normal and is one way your body expels germs from the body in order to prevent infection. Sticky discharge can be your body’s way of defending itself and shouldn’t be a cause for alarm.
Thick: Thick, white discharge that looks like cottage cheese is often accompanied with itching, burning, and other painful symptoms. This could be a sign of a yeast infection, so it’s best to reach out to a medical professional especially if it lasts for an extended period of time.
Amount
It’s normal to have a discharge every day. The average woman has 1-3 milliliters of discharge every day, which is healthy – vaginas are meant to be wet! Hard stop.
It’s important to embrace your natural discharge and not try to remove it entirely – using too many products to “clean” your vagina, such as boric acid, can lead to infection and more issues in the long run.
Your period can play a big part in how much discharge you have, as well as the texture. Before ovulation, your body is preparing for sex and fertilization. Therefore, you’re likely to produce more mucus and have watery, thin discharge. You’ll typically have the most discharge during ovulation and you might feel “wetter” than normal. The discharge often becomes clear, stretchy, and slippery.
You probably won’t notice much discharge during your period. Directly after your period, you might have no discharge at all or very little discharge. Your discharge might even be dry and spotty.
What Do I Do If I Have Abnormal Discharge?
If you’re concerned about changes in your discharge or if your discharge seems abnormal, talk to your OB-GYN and see what they think. Don’t try to fix the problem yourself by over-washing, douching or using boric acid to get rid of the smell or the discharge itself entirely. Boric acid can treat existing infections, but it should never be used just to flush your vag out or “freshen up,” especially after your period.
Microbial testing is a great way to learn more about the health of your vagina so you can know what’s going on in your vaginal biosphere. It measures all of your vaginal microbes and informs you as to what beneficial microbes you are missing and the next steps to get you (and hopefully keep you) balanced. Being knowledgeable about the health of your vaginal microbiome is the best way to treat and prevent infections, and should definitely be considered if you’re experiencing changes in your discharge.
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The author.
Allison Kindley is a Digital Media Production & Journalism student at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She loves working with Team Happy Girl because she gets to inform others on feminine wellness, learn every day, write creatively, and empower women.