✨Translated by AI

Vaginal discharge: colors, odor, and other characteristics, indicating disease.

Vaginal discharge is a natural fluid from the vagina. Normally, discharge isn’t a cause for concern. However, it is if the discharge turns gray, green, or pink, if there’s bleeding out of your menstrual period, or if you experience other unusual symptoms. These could be due to an infection or might be a sign of cervical cancer.

What is Vaginal Discharge?

Vaginal discharge is the medical term for fluid that comes out of the vagina.

Discharge is the body’s way of removing dead vaginal skin cells, bacteria, cervical mucus, and vaginal tissue to help protect the vagina and urinary tract from infection. It also helps keep vaginal tissues lubricated and clean.

Hormones in the body affect the amount and consistency of discharge, which is why you may have varying amounts of discharge at certain times, such as before your period, during pregnancy, or while using hormonal birth control.

What Colors Can Vaginal Discharge Be?

Vaginal discharge can be of various colors, depending on the condition of your body at that time.

Red or Brown Discharge

Having red or brown blood come from the vagina is normal during menstruation. The color can range from cherry red at the beginning of your period to rusty brown. However, if you have blood flowing out of your vagina throughout the menstrual cycle, it could be a sign of an abnormality such as an infection or cervical cancer. Causes might include irregular menstrual cycles, such as some people having irregular periods or bleeding between periods due to birth control or hormonal changes.

Cream and Milky White Discharge

Vaginal discharge can range in color from off-white to cream. This is usually not a concern unless it’s accompanied by other discharge, like tissue or an unusual odor. Causes can include natural vaginal lubrication. Creamy or milky white discharge can result from various factors, similar to clear discharge; it’s simply natural lubrication that keeps vaginal tissues healthy and reduces friction during intercourse.

Pale Yellow to Neon Green Discharge

Pale yellow discharge is more common than you might think. However, if the yellow or green color deepens, it’s often a sign of infection. But sometimes, what you eat can affect the color of your discharge; some people might experience this due to taking vitamins or certain foods.

Light Red to Dark Pink Discharge

Light red to dark pink discharge is often a sign of your period starting. But sometimes, it can be a sign of a health problem. Some people might experience slight, intermittent vaginal bleeding after vaginal penetration with fingers, sex toys, or a penis, which can result in pink discharge. However, if you have this type of discharge throughout a menstrual cycle, you should consult a doctor.

Clear Discharge

Clear or whitish discharge, consistently clear like egg whites, is usually normal. It might be secretions for balancing the vagina, as the vagina is a self-cleaning organ. Causes of clear discharge often include:

Ovulation: Occurs around day 14 of the menstrual cycle; this is when you are ovulating, and the cervix produces clear mucus.

Discharge during pregnancy: Pregnancy can cause hormonal changes and increase the amount of discharge.

Sexual arousal: During sexual stimulation, blood vessels in the vagina dilate, and fluid flows out, leading to increased clear discharge, which is a normal symptom.

Gray Discharge

When discharge changes from white to gray, you should consult a doctor or pharmacist, as it could be a sign of a bacterial vaginal infection, which a doctor will treat by prescribing antibiotics.

Vaginal Discharge Before Menstruation

Vaginal discharge can help indicate different stages of your menstrual cycle.

Discharge in the pre-menstrual phase is often cloudy or white due to increased progesterone, a hormone associated with the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. When the body has higher estrogen levels during the cycle, discharge is typically clear and watery.

“Vaginal discharge changes throughout the menstrual cycle, including:

Ovulatory phase: Discharge is usually clear, stretchy, and watery. Its thinness helps sperm travel better to the egg. Before ovulation, there can be up to 30 times the normal amount of discharge.
After ovulation: Higher progesterone levels make the discharge white, and it might be thick and sticky but in smaller amounts than during ovulation.
Before menstruation: Discharge may be white and yellow.
After menstruation: There might be brown discharge consisting of old blood leaving the vagina. Three to four days after this, there might be no discharge at all.”

When Should You See a Doctor for Vaginal Discharge?

Some types of vaginal discharge can be signs of serious health conditions.

Normally, we can sense abnormalities, as the body will send certain signals along with unusual discharge, such as itching, pain, and burning during urination.

You should consult a doctor if you are concerned about a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or if you have any of the following symptoms:

Itching accompanied by discharge
Lower abdominal pain
Burning sensation during urination
Strongly foul-smelling discharge
Foamy discharge
Thick, cheese-like discharge
Gray discharge
Bleeding unrelated to menstruation

Missed Period but Having Discharge

A missed or delayed period can be related to hormones.

Vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, and a missed period could be signs of pregnancy, or symptoms of a delayed period or other conditions such as ectopic pregnancy, yeast infection, or sexually transmitted infections, all of which should be diagnosed by a doctor.

Diseases Associated with Abnormal Discharge

What causes abnormal discharge?

Any changes related to the balance of bacteria in the vagina can affect the odor, color, or characteristics of the discharge. Factors that can disrupt this balance include:

Use of antibiotics or steroids
Bacterial vaginosis, often found in pregnant individuals or those with multiple partners
Use of birth control
Cervical cancer
Chlamydia or gonorrhea infection (STIs)
Diabetes
Vaginal douching with fragranced soaps or lotions that cause irritation
Pelvic infection after surgery
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Trichomoniasis, a parasitic infection often caused by unprotected sex
Vaginal atrophy, a condition of thin and dry vaginal walls during menopause
Vaginitis, irritation in or around the vagina
Vaginal yeast infection

How Does a Doctor Diagnose Abnormal Discharge?

A doctor will begin by taking a health history and asking about symptoms, which may include:

The color, odor, and characteristics of the discharge
Other accompanying symptoms such as itching, lower abdominal pain, vaginal burning, and sexual history

The doctor may collect a sample of the discharge or perform a cervical cell sample for further diagnosis.

Vaginal Discharge That May Be a Sign of Cervical Cancer

Abnormal discharge

It’s normal for discharge to be clear, milky, or slightly yellow. However, you should observe any changes in the color, odor, or characteristics of your discharge that might be related to cervical cancer. This includes discharge that is red from slight bleeding, unusually increased discharge, foul-smelling discharge that is pink, brown, or bloody. Sometimes, there may also be tissue or necrotic material discharged, which results from tumor infection, causing foul-smelling discharge. If there is continuous discharge that is pale, watery brown, or mixed with blood, you should see a gynecologist immediately.