vaginal discharge

The body of a woman should be the 8th wonder of the world. Not only is it beautiful and complex, but it is also one of the most intriguing things the mind can imagine.

For a lot of reasons the female reproductive system is quite incredible. Especially because it functions somewhat like an independent organism even though it is part of a larger organism.

Not only is a female able to carry other humans and birth them a young female is born with about 400,000 immature eggs in her body.

One of the major events that occur in the life of a woman is puberty, and that is when the body begins to mature enough to produce children. During this time, a female begins to notice vaginal discharges.

Vaginal discharge isn’t something that should be bothersome. As a matter of fact, it is a completely normal thing and is very healthy because it is the way your body cleanse itself.

However, there are certain things that you should know about vaginal discharges like the different colours they can come in what those colours mean and what you should do whenever you notice any of them. In this article, you will be exposed to all of these factors as you read further.

As mentioned earlier vaginal discharge is a very normal thing, and it is healthy because of its functions as vital housekeeping in the female reproductive system.

Vaginal discharge is a combination of fluids that are made by glands residing in the vagina and cervix, and these fluids carry away bacterias and dead cells. The flushing away of these dead cells and bacterias keep the vagina clean and free of infection.

Majority of the time, the vaginal discharge a woman notice is perfectly normal. Nevertheless, the smell and colour can change as well as the amount.

The colour of a woman’s vaginal discharge can range from as clear as egg white and can even be milky white; it all depends on the time in the woman’s menstrual cycle.

For instance, a woman with experience more vaginal discharge when she’s breastfeeding ovulating or when she is sexually aroused. They can be a change in the smell of vaginal discharge when a woman is pregnant or when she doesn’t practice great personal hygiene.

None of your vaginal discharge changes should be cause for alarm. However, if you notice that the smell, colour, or consistency becomes quite different than usual, especially if you have been experiencing burning or itching in your vagina, then you could be dealing with an infection or any other condition.

Vagina discharge colours, their meanings, and causes

To be honest, almost every girl at her that moment when they ran into the bathroom hole down their pants and noticed something different about your discharge the question that comes to your mind whenever you find yourself in such a situation is “is this normal?’ or “could something be wrong with me?”

As a matter of fact, even though some of these colours may be discomforting the fact remains that you are safe a bulk of the time, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know what the colours mean and when to see the doctor.

We guarantee that the colour guide you are about to see is medically accurate.

1. Brown or blood red discharge

It is normal to notice brown or blood red discharge when you’re on your period. The colour of your discharge might range from cherry-red at the start of your menstruation to rusty brown. However, if you’re not on your period and you notice red vaginal discharge it is most likely a sign of an infection.

Causes

Spotting or irregular menstrual cycle: hormonal changes and birth control method contributes greatly to spotting. However, some women experience irregular menstruation and spotting even though they’re not engaged in any birth control method.

Potential medical issues

  • Cancer (cervical, uterine) and vaginal infection

2. Milky white and cream discharge

Women can experience a variety of white shades of vaginal discharge; the shades of white can range from eggshell to cream, but they are totally normal.

Unless your white or creamy discharge is accompanied by a bad smell or a texture that you’re not comfortable with you, have absolutely nothing to fret about.

Causes

Vaginal lubrication: white vaginal discharge shows up for mostly the same reason you have a clear vaginal discharge; it is just the vaginas natural lubrication it keeps the vaginal tissues healthy and also minimises friction during sexual intercourse.

This kind of vaginal discharge is healthy for consumption, that’s why during oral sex men have nothing to worry about if they swallow it. In fact, there are lots of benefits to eating vaginal discharge so the next time you have sex with your significant other, you may want him to try some.

Potential medical issues

3. Pale yellow or neon green

If you notice a light yellow discharge, then it is a normal thing. there are times the colour would be daffodil yellow and other times it may be a greener chartreuse. Don’t panic when you noticed this; it may not be a sign that you are sick or you have an infection.

Causes

Take a rain check on your diet or any supplements you have been using: a lot of times when people noticed this colour of vaginal discharge they discover that they are dealing with an infection.

But if you figure out that you are in the clear (that is, it is just a one-off occurrence), then it could be as a result of what you have been eating.

Some people have reported this change in colour whenever they start taking a new vitamin and whenever they eat a particular food. If you are sure this is not as a result of what you’ve been eating or the vitamin you’ve been taking, then you can go ahead and consult your doctor.

Potential medical issues

4. Blushed deep pink

Pink but I know this church benches from a very lights blush colour to a deep shade of pink. a pinkish vaginal discharge is just the sign of the start of your cycle.

You may notice it on the first day of your period but there are times when it could be a sign of some serious medical condition. There is also a chance that you might notice a pinkish discharge if you had sex the previous day or a few hours before.

Causes

Some females may periodically notice light bleeding after having sex and that can cause a pink discharge another course as earlier stated could be the beginning of your period what if these two options are ruled out then it is time you consult your doctor.

Potential medical issues

  • Cervical cancer

5. Clear vaginal discharge

Clear vaginal discharge can sometimes also be whitish in colour and is a very normal one. The consistency may be like that of an egg white and it is the discharge that a healthy vagina produces whenever it wants to rebalance itself.

This just goes to tell you how amazing your vagina is because it saves you the stress of cleaning it by helping you clean its very self.

Cause

There are three major causes of clear vaginal discharge; ovulation, pregnancy, and sexual arousal.

  • Ovulation: Ovulation happens around day 14 of your menstrual cycle. And whenever you’re ovulating your body produces cervical mucus.
  • Pregnancy: Pregnancy is another major factor that can cause a change in your hormones and can increase the quantity of your vaginal discharge.
  • Sexual arousal: Whenever you’re sexually aroused the blood vessels in your vagina will dilate and then allow fluid to pass through them this will cause an increase in the discharge of clear and watery fluid. Guess what? it is totally normal.

Potential medical issues

6. Storm clouds or exhaust gray discharge

When your white vaginal discharge turns grey like exhaust or storm clouds grey, then you have to visit your doctor immediately. it is a sign of and infection and must be treated as soon as possible.

Causes

list colour of vaginal discharge can be caused by an infection known as bacterial vaginosis in fact it is one of the pointers to this very common infection in females. your doctor will most likely prescribe some oral antibiotics or some antibacterial ointments for you.

Potential medical issues

  • Bacterial vaginosis

When should I consult a doctor?

If you’re worried about the amount, colour, or smell of your discharge, or if you notice any other symptoms that makes you uncomfortable, find the best option you have is to see your doctor.

Consult a gynaecologist immediately you notice your discharge is accompanied by any of the symptoms below:

  • Burning sensation during urination
  • Itching
  • Thick cottage cheese texture
  • Pain
  • Strong or offensive smell
  • Grey color
  • Frothy texture
  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Bleeding unrelated to your menstrual period

Something else you should know is that conditions like chlamydia and gonorrhea can be eliminated if you have never had sex and for this reason, it is always the best option that should go for a checkup to enable you to pinpoint what the exact cause of your discharge is an ulcer what your medical status is.

One thing you should always remember is that vaginal discharge is a very amazing thing primarily because the healthy discharge is what helps to keep your vagina clean provides, lubrication and also prevents infections.

Your vaginal discharge is supposed to change according to your body’s needs. Take for example, whenever you’re having sex, your body understands that you need lubrication, and for that reason, your vaginal discharge changes and become smooth enough to allow you to achieve comfort during sex.

And also your discharge becomes thick during ovulation so that it can help to transport sperm to your eggs.

It is also essential to keep in mind that a range of amounts and colour shades of vaginal discharge is considered to be normal and will always vary from individual to individual.

This colour guide is meant to help you understand your vaginal discharge better and know when you should be worried and when you should be relaxed about it.

Most importantly, your vaginal discharge is a show of your health. You must always look out for discharge that occurs on expectedly as it can be a sign of a disease or infection.

If your vaginal discharge unexpectedly changes in colour or consistency even in amount or smell you might have to consider scheduling an appointment with your doctor.

Also, consult a gynecologist if your discharge is accompanied with pelvic pain or itching as that is usually a sign that something is wrong.

We hope that you find this guide helpful and we look forward to hearing from you if you have any suggestions or additions that you would like to share. Please do not hesitate to use the comment section below.