Pregnant and mucus discharge

Vaginal discharge - NHS

You will always have some vaginal discharge starting a year or 2 before puberty and ending after the menopause.

How much discharge you have changes from time to time. It usually gets heavier just before your period. When you're pregnant, it's normal to have more discharge than before.

Healthy vaginal discharge is usually thin, clear or milky white, and should not smell unpleasant.

Non-urgent advice: Call your midwife if you have vaginal discharge and:

it smells unpleasant or strange
it is green or yellow
you feel itchy or sore around your vagina
you have pain when you pee

Any of these could be symptoms of a vaginal infection.

Urgent advice: Urgent

Contact your midwife or doctor immediately if you have any vaginal bleeding while you're pregnant.

Is it normal to have vaginal discharge in pregnancy?

Yes. It is normal to have more vaginal discharge in pregnancy. This helps prevent any infections travelling up from the vagina to the womb.

Towards the end of pregnancy, the amount of discharge increases further. In the last week or so of pregnancy, it may contain streaks of sticky, jelly-like pink mucus.

This is called a "show", and happens when the mucus that's been present in your cervix during pregnancy comes away.

It's a sign that the body is starting to prepare for birth. You may have a few small "shows" in the days before you go into labour.

Read more about the signs that labour has begun.

Thrush in pregnancy

Thrush is an infection that can cause unusual vaginal discharge. if you get thrush when you're pregnant, it can easily be treated - talk to your midwife or doctor.

Thrush can cause:

increased vaginal discharge which is usually white (like cottage cheese), and does not usually smell
itching and irritation around the vagina

Always talk to your doctor, pharmacist or midwife if you think you have thrush, as there are some thrush medicines you should not use while you're pregnant.

You can help prevent thrush by wearing loose cotton underwear. You may find it helps to avoid perfumed soap or perfumed bath products.

Find out more about vaginal discharge.

Page last reviewed: 31 March 2021
Next review due: 31 March 2024

Thick white discharge (leukorrhea) in early pregnancy

Pregnancy
Your Body

By Karisa Ding

May 27, 2020

You may notice an increase in white creamy discharge early in pregnancy, due to higher levels of estrogen. White vaginal discharge (called leucorrhea) is nothing to worry about: This early pregnancy discharge is normal and can be clear to milky white, thin or thick, and mild-smelling or odorless. Vaginal discharge that's green, smells unpleasant, causes pain or itching, or seems unusual in any other way could be a sign of infection or another problem.

Photo credit: Jianing Pan for BabyCenter

What does creamy white discharge mean during pregnancy?
When is vaginal discharge in pregnancy a warning sign of a problem?
Can changes in my discharge be an early sign of pregnancy?
How can I tell if this is vaginal discharge or my mucus plug?
How can I tell if this is vaginal discharge or amniotic fluid?
What can I do about vaginal discharge during pregnancy?

What does creamy white discharge mean during pregnancy?

It's perfectly normal to have a mild-smelling milky white discharge even before pregnancy. (It's called leukorrhea. ) There's just a lot more of it during pregnancy because your body is producing more estrogen, which signals the vagina to produce more discharge.

This discharge is made up of secretions from the cervix and vagina, old cells, and normal vaginal bacteria. Healthy vaginal discharge is usually:

Clear to milky white.
Thin to thick or mucus-like.
Mild-smelling or odorless.

You'll probably also notice more vaginal discharge as you approach labor, although it's likely to look somewhat different from the flow you've become accustomed to.

When is vaginal discharge in pregnancy a warning sign of a problem?

Discharge that's green, smells unpleasant, causes pain or itching, or seems unusual in any other way could be a sign of infection or another problem. Also, call your doctor or midwife right away if:

You're not yet 37 weeks along and notice an increase in the amount of discharge or a change in the type of discharge. For example, if you're continuously leaking clear and watery fluid, these can be signs that your water has broken or you're in preterm labor.
Your vulva looks inflamed, or you have an odorless, whitish discharge that's causing pain with urination or intercourse, soreness, itching, or burning. This means you could have a yeast infection.
You have thin white or gray discharge with a strong fishy smell which may be more noticeable after sex (when the discharge mixes with semen). This might be a condition called bacterial vaginosis.
Your discharge is yellow or green and frothy with an unpleasant odor. This may be a sign of trichomoniasis, a common sexually transmitted infection. Other possible symptoms of trichomoniasis (or trich) include a red, irritated, or itchy vulva or vagina and discomfort while urinating or during intercourse.
Your discharge has a strong and noticeable odor or has changed in color, amount, or consistency from your normal discharge.

It can be hard to tell when symptoms signal a problem, and even if you don't have common symptoms like irritation, itching, or burning, you could still have a vaginal or sexually transmitted infection.

If you're having discomfort or you think you have an infection, don't try to treat yourself with over-the-counter medications or "feminine hygiene" products. Many of these products are marketed to make you think something's wrong with you when it's really not. And using them can aggravate an already sensitive area. Instead, see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis and the right treatment.

Can changes in my discharge be an early sign of pregnancy?

Typically, no. While many women notice an increase in vaginal discharge during pregnancy, you're not likely to notice this symptom in the week or two just after conception. And it's not one of the early pregnancy symptoms that women commonly report during those first few weeks. If you suspect you might be pregnant, your best bet is to take a pregnancy test around the time you would expect your period.

How can I tell if this is vaginal discharge or my mucus plug?

The "mucus plug" is a collection of gelatinous secretions from your cervix. These secretions fill the cervical canal in early pregnancy and create a protective barrier for most of pregnancy. As you get closer to delivery and your cervix begins to thin out (efface) and open up (dilate), these mucus-like secretions may come out of your vagina. This can be a sign of early labor.

Be assured however, it's not like a cork popping. Labor still progresses on its own timeline, and your baby remains well protected.

Not everyone experiences losing their mucus plug. If you do, it might seem like an increased amount of vaginal discharge over the course of a few days, or a glob of thickened mucus that's clear, pinkish, brownish, or tinged with a bit of blood.

How can I tell if this is vaginal discharge or amniotic fluid?

Regular discharge comes out sporadically in small amounts, but amniotic fluid leaks out continuously once your water breaks. Amniotic fluid is usually clear or slightly yellowish, watery, and odorless or slightly sweet-smelling. When your water breaks, amniotic fluid may come out as a leak or trickle, or in a big, dramatic gush. Either way, it will continue to leak out until you have your baby.

If you think it's possible you're leaking amniotic fluid, contact your provider immediately. It's important to find out if you might be going into labor.

If you're less than 34 weeks pregnant and you think your water has broken, call your provider right away. You may need medications to delay your labor and speed up the development of your baby's lungs and antibiotics to protect against infection.

What can I do about vaginal discharge during pregnancy?

There's not much you can do to stop your body's normal vaginal discharge. You can wear panty liners to absorb discharge if you need to but using them frequently may irritate your vulva. Using tampons is not recommended during pregnancy.

Here are some other ways to keep your genital area healthy:

Always wipe from front to back.
Change out of sweaty work-out clothes or wet swimsuits promptly.
If your vulva is irritated, consider limiting tight pants, leggings, or underwear made with synthetic materials.
Don't use bubble bath, scented pads, scented toilet paper, feminine hygiene sprays, and scented or deodorant soaps. These scents can be irritating to your sensitive vulvar skin.
And don't douche. Douching can upset the normal balance of bacteria in your vagina and increase the likelihood of infection. Doctors and midwives also discourage douching during pregnancy because in rare cases it can introduce air into your circulatory system through the vagina, which can cause serious complications.

Learn more:

Vaginal bleeding or spotting during pregnancy

Frequent urination during pregnancy

Pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore

Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

ACOG. 2015. Vulvovaginal health. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/womens-health/vulvovaginal-health [Accessed May 2020]

ACOG. 2016. Practice bulletin 172: Premature rupture of membranes. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27661655/ [Accessed May 2020]

OWH. 2017. Labor and birth. U.S. Office on Women's Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-and-beyond/labor-and-birth [Accessed May 2020]

UpToDate. Undated. Patient education: Vaginal discharge in adults (The basics). https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vaginal-discharge-in-adults-the-basics [Accessed May 2020]

UpToDate. 2019. Patient education: Vaginal discharge in adult women (Beyond the basics). https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vaginal-discharge-in-adult-women-beyond-the-basics [Accessed May 2020]

UpToDate. 2017. Management of normal labor and delivery. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/management-of-normal-labor-and-delivery [Accessed May 2020]

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why they appear in the early and late periods, in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester, what to do at home

While carrying a child, any changes in a woman's body can be alarming and cause concern. Including mucous secretions that occur during different periods of pregnancy. Together with gynecologists, we will figure out which of them are considered the norm, and which indicate the development of serious pathologies.

Obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist of the Institute of Reproductive Medicine REMEDI Nina Antipova tells what is discharge in women. They consist of:

secretion of the vaginal mucosa;
cervical mucus, cervical mucus;
a secret that is released from the uterine cavity (during menstruation - blood, on the days of the beginning and end of menstruation - mucous secretions that are produced by cells of the endometrium, the mucous membrane of the uterus).

- Discharge from the genital tract - an individual story, so the norm here is ambiguous. As such, the concept of mucous discharge during pregnancy does not exist, emphasizes Nina Antipova.

Pregnancy mucus discharge

Pregnancy mucus may vary in color, texture, smell, quantity and feel. The norm is considered to be discharges that meet the following characteristics.

Color	colorless or white, without bloody interspersed
Consistency	Not dense
Number	Moderate, not abundant
Smell	None
Feel	No itching, burning or pain

Clear discharge

900 But in the second and third trimester, they can be confused with amniotic fluid.

Therefore, if abundant colorless discharge occurs, you should be wary.

Learn more

White discharge

White mucus that is not accompanied by odor, itching or discomfort is normal (1). The main reason for their appearance is the formation of a mucous plug that prevents the occurrence of infections.

Learn more

Yellow discharge

Yellow mucus may be a symptom of severe inflammation. The most likely cause of their occurrence is a bacterial infection (2). In such cases, additional symptoms appear: smell, burning and itching.

Learn more

Bloody discharge

The appearance of bloody mucous discharge during pregnancy can signal serious processes, such as a threatened miscarriage. In such a situation, immediate medical attention is needed.

Learn more

Brown discharge

Brown color indicates blood in the discharge. This is not always a dangerous symptom, for example, discharge with a brown tint can be observed with cervical erosion. But you should not lose vigilance. In the first months of pregnancy, brown discharge can mean the presence of serious pathologies, and in the last, among other things, the onset of the birth process.

Learn more

What causes mucous discharge during early pregnancy

Mucus discharge in a woman can occur for various reasons, which depend on the stage of pregnancy.

1st trimester

Abundant mucous discharge at the beginning of pregnancy may be one of the signs of its onset. In this case, they are painted white, do not smell and do not cause discomfort. Discharge with an unpleasant odor, accompanied by itching, may indicate a violation of the microflora. The treatment of this problem should be entrusted to a doctor.

Brown discharge may indicate an ectopic or miscarriage, or a threatened miscarriage. The symptom is dangerous, so you need to act immediately.

Why there is mucous discharge during late pregnancy

Any discharge during pregnancy should not go unnoticed. The closer the date of birth, the more closely you need to monitor your well-being and the changes that occur in the body.

2nd trimester

Mucous discharge in the second trimester of pregnancy, which is colorless and odorless, is most often associated with the action of hormones (3). But sometimes they can be a signal of problems. For example, abundant mucous discharge may be amniotic fluid. To understand whether this is true or not, you should consult a doctor and pass the necessary analysis.

If the discharge is white, itchy and painful, a fungal infection (eg thrush) may have flared up. It is impossible to treat it on your own with the help of pills during pregnancy, so you must definitely see a doctor.

3rd trimester

Mucus discharge in the third semester of pregnancy may indicate the following processes:0014

the presence of a gynecological disease or infection.

If heavy discharge occurs in the last months of pregnancy, you should immediately consult a doctor. Any of these causes is a pathology and can lead to serious consequences.

How to deal with mucus discharge during pregnancy at home

If the discharge does not increase and does not cause concern, then it is usually not necessary to treat it. It is important to visit the gynecologist on time, monitor any changes and observe intimate hygiene.

- A pregnant woman often perceives mucous discharge as a minor symptom that she herself can eliminate. But in no case should this be done, because self-medication can negatively affect the development of the fetus, - notes obstetrician-gynecologist, doctor of the highest category Elena Kollerova . - Doing anything at home is not necessary categorically, because this can lead to dangerous consequences.

why they appear and what they are

Pregnancy is one of the most important and exciting periods in a woman's life. In order to properly take care of yourself and the baby growing in your stomach, expectant mothers need to know what kind of discharge occurs during childbearing. "Komsomolskaya Pravda" together with obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest category Alla Pashkova understands which of them are considered the norm, and which ones are the reason for visiting the antenatal clinic.

Why discharge occurs

Every woman has vaginal discharge. Their number, color and consistency depend on many factors: the phase of the cycle (for example, during the period of egg maturation and ovulation there are quite a lot of them, and immediately after menstruation there is practically none), the woman’s health (with genital tract infections, inflammation in the pelvic organs (discharge at the same time, they often change color, an unpleasant odor appears).The discharge is also affected by the woman's complexion (in thin women, the discharge is usually more abundant than in full ones), sexual activity, the use of vaginal deodorants and intimate hygiene products, wearing synthetic underwear and other factors And, of course, the nature of the discharge is affected by pregnancy.With its onset, a woman may notice that the discharge has become much more than usual (1). 0003

“More abundant light discharge during pregnancy is the norm,” says Alla Pashkova, obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences, author of a blog about women's health. - They are enhanced under the influence of the hormone progesterone, which begins to be actively produced in the body of a woman with the onset of pregnancy and creates favorable conditions for the implantation of the embryo and its further development. If there are no complaints about a change in the color of the discharge, itching, burning, swelling of the tissues of the perineum, an unpleasant odor, then you do not need to worry and take unnecessary tests, for example, bacterial culture, it is enough to limit yourself to a smear on the flora. Allocations of various kinds can appear during early pregnancy also due to infections and with the threat of miscarriage.

What are the discharges

Photo: Bernhard Claßen, globallookpress.com

Discharge during early pregnancy can be of different colors (white, yellow, green, bloody), consistency (thick, liquid, cheesy), may have a neutral or unpleasant odor . In some cases, they do not pose a danger, they are considered a variant of the norm, in others, on the contrary, they can become an alarm about the threat of termination of pregnancy and are a reason for urgent medical attention. Together with our expert Alla Pashkova, we will analyze in more detail what the discharge of a particular nature in the early stages of pregnancy may indicate. We note right away that any deviations from the norm are a reason for an urgent visit to a doctor.

Light discharge

Normal vaginal discharge in most women is just a light whitish tint. They have no smell, or it is slightly sour. There are few of them - up to 4 ml per day. In pregnant women, if the pregnancy is going well, the color and smell, as a rule, does not change, but the discharge may become more abundant due to the action of the hormone progesterone. This is normal, you should not be afraid.

Learn more

White discharge

White discharge can also be normal if the woman is not bothered by anything. But if the white discharge has acquired a curdled character, itching and burning have appeared in the vagina, then this picture most likely indicates the development of vaginal candidiasis (thrush).

- Vaginal candidiasis during pregnancy is very common - up to 90 percent of women suffer from it, - says Alla Pashkova. - This is facilitated by a change in the hormonal background, namely the absence of phases of the cycle and ovulation, and excessive secretion of progesterone. It is necessary to treat candidiasis if a woman has specific complaints: a change in the nature of the discharge, a sour smell, itching in the vagina. If Candida bacteria are found in a smear on the flora, while nothing bothers you, then you do not need to take any drugs.

Clear discharge

In non-pregnant women, such heavy discharge may occur in the middle of the cycle. This is a sign of ovulation. In pregnant women, clear discharge is the norm. The main thing is not to confuse them with amniotic fluid, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy. But for this there are special tests for the determination of amniotic fluid and the doctor will always help you figure it out.

Learn more

Mucus discharge

Mucus discharge from the vagina without pain or discomfort is normal in both pregnant and non-pregnant women. During pregnancy, they may be more due to hormonal changes in the body.

Learn more

Yellow discharge

Photo: Olga Semenova, globallookpress.com

Light yellow discharge may also be normal. Most likely, before pregnancy, you had discharge of the same color. But if you notice that the discharge has become darker, an unpleasant odor has appeared - this is a reason to consult a doctor. Such discharge may indicate the presence of an inflammatory process, indicate an infection. “I note that in 90 percent of cases, the cause of changes in vaginal discharge in women and the appearance of complaints (itching, burning, changes in color, smell and type of vaginal discharge) are candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis,” says Alla Valerievna. - For candidiasis, more often white or greenish curdled discharge, accompanied by severe itching and swelling of the tissues, for gardnerellosis ( bacterial vaginosis) - grayish watery discharge with the smell of fish, with trichomoniasis - abundant purulent - frothy leucorrhoea with an unpleasant odor, tissues of the vagina and cervix swell , the neck acquires a specific appearance (symptom of strawberries) - red, with grayish zones in the form of eyes on strawberries.

Learn more

Green discharge

Such discharge can never be normal, often it is a sign of candidiasis. When such discharge occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Learn more

Bleeding

Photo: West Coast Surfer, globallookpress.com

Bleeding during pregnancy is a separate situation that always requires a woman's special attention and medical advice. In the early stages of bleeding during pregnancy is not uncommon.

“First trimester bleeding occurs in every fourth woman,” says Alla Pashkova. “About one in seven people have a spontaneous miscarriage. But in 80 percent of cases, even in the presence of blood discharge, as well as pain in the lower abdomen, the uterine pregnancy progresses almost to term and ends with the birth of a healthy child.

The main causes of bleeding in early pregnancy may be:

threatened or incipient miscarriage due to chorionic detachment and retrochorial hematoma;
implantation bleeding;
ectopic pregnancy;
non-developing or miscarriage. An accurate diagnosis will be made by the doctor based on the dynamics of the level of hCG in the blood, as well as ultrasound studies;
spontaneous reduction (loss) of one of the embryos during multiple pregnancy;
incomplete cystic drift - when, due to genetic disorders, the development of the embryo does not occur, and the chorionic villi grow in the form of bubbles filled with liquid. This pathology is very rare.

It is important to understand that bleeding during pregnancy is unpredictable and can change within hours (2). Therefore, in any case, blood discharge during pregnancy, no matter if it is scanty, spotty or abundant, pink with small streaks of blood, brown or scarlet, is ALWAYS a reason for an urgent internal examination by a doctor. Below we will talk about the possible causes of spotting of different colors. It should be noted that the division into colors is rather arbitrary, and the exact cause of the discharge by the brightness of their color, their intensity cannot be determined without additional examination.

Pink discharge

Photo: Liz Gregg, globallookpress.com

If you notice pinkish discharge or small streaks of blood on your underwear, this may indicate implantation bleeding, which is quite common.

- It occurs at the stage of implantation of the ovum. This is 6-7 days after conception or 21-22 days of the menstrual cycle, when there is no delay yet, explains Alla Pashkova. But such women are very, very few. But there is also a second stage of implantation bleeding - during the period of growth of the chorion, it often occurs at the time of an already existing delay in menstruation - 4-5 weeks from the last menstruation or 3 weeks after fertilization. This type of implantation bleeding occurs in many women - about a quarter of pregnant women. In addition, at 7-8 weeks, when a luteoplacental shift occurs and progesterone begins to be produced not by the corpus luteum of the ovary, but by the chorion, the progesterone level may drop, and the pregnant woman may experience bleeding. It's also not scary and safe. The main thing you should remember is that the peculiarity of implantation bleeding is that it is short-lived, scarce and usually takes only a few hours. But in any case, this is a reason to promptly consult a doctor to exclude a possible threat of termination of pregnancy.

Learn more

Brown discharge

Brown discharge can also be a sign of implantation bleeding, which we discussed above. If such discharges are observed at the time indicated above, there are very few of them, and they pass quickly, then most likely there is nothing to worry about.

But brown discharge can also be a very alarming signal.

— For example, with an ectopic pregnancy against the background of a positive pregnancy test, there may be spotting, usually minor, spotting, says Alla Pashkova. - On average, these symptoms appear with an ectopic pregnancy at 7 weeks. At the same time, pains are noted in the lower abdomen, more on one side, and pains can also appear during urination and defecation. It is urgent to consult a doctor to confirm or exclude an ectopic pregnancy.

Learn more

Scarlet discharge

Photo: Liz Gregg, globallookpress.com

Blood discharge, when it comes to blood clots, bright scarlet discharge, heavy bleeding, always scares a pregnant woman. Indeed, such secretions in most cases indicate a threat or a miscarriage that has begun due to detachment of the chorion and retrochorial hematoma (or subchorial, when blood accumulates between the chorionic membrane covering the embryo and the uterine wall). Up to 60 percent of hematomas in the 1st trimester are of this type. More often, subchorial hematomas are detected at the 8th week of pregnancy, on average, their volume is 1.5 ml of blood. With heavy bleeding, a woman is placed in a hospital, while ultrasound in the uterine cavity shows a live fetal egg with an embryo and a heartbeat, the pregnancy is prolonged and not interrupted, hemostatic hemostatic drugs are used.

“It is worth noting that every fourth or fifth pregnancy ends in a miscarriage in the first three months,” says Alla Pashkova. - At the same time, in 90-95 percent of cases, this situation does not repeat itself again, and a woman has every chance of becoming a mother. After a single miscarriage, there is no need to conduct an in-depth examination to identify its causes.

Frequently asked questions and answers

Expectant mothers during pregnancy are concerned about the presence of discharge. Together with the gynecologist Alla Pashkova, we will analyze popular questions and answer them.

What does nipple discharge mean in early pregnancy?

Breast changes occur from the very beginning of pregnancy, but are not always felt by the expectant mother (3). There may be a discharge in the form of a liquid of a yellowish tint. Thus, the mammary glands prepare for lactation and reproduce colostrum. If the discharge is painful or mixed with blood, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Is it possible to determine pregnancy by discharge before the delay?

It is impossible to determine pregnancy only by discharge. But they can indirectly indicate its presence. For example, they become more abundant. You can only find out exactly in a position with the help of a test or analysis of hCG.

Is discharge always a sign of pregnancy?

Discharge is not a sign of pregnancy. The exception is implantation bleeding. In general, the discharge may indicate ovulation, and a possible infection, and much more. In case of concern, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Can tampons be used during pregnancy?

In case of heavy discharge, the use of panty liners is recommended. Tampons are contraindicated for future mothers: there is a risk of infection of the genital tract and, as a result, possible harm to the fetus.

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