White Vaginal Discharge in Women: When to Worry
What is a Vaginal Discharge?
White vaginal discharge is a fluid made by the glands in the vagina and the cervix. It carries in it the dead cells and the bacteria, and it serves an essential function of keeping the vagina clean, moist, lubricated, and even preventing vagina infections.
Having an average vaginal discharge is normal, and it shows the normal functioning of these crevixes and the vaginal glands. It is your body’s way of keeping the ph balance of your vagina, thus, keeping it healthy and clean.
The amount, the colour, the texture, and the order of vaginal discharge vary from person to person, depending upon your age and the day of the menstrual cycle you are on. It also depends on whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you’re sexually aroused, or taking a birth control pill.
Normal Vaginal Discharge
A normal vaginal discharge is absolutely clear, watery, and does not have any odour or smell. It does not itch, and obviously, it varies according to the menstrual cycle days.
Immediately after the periods, the discharge is very thin; as you move towards your mid-cycle or towards your ovulation time, the discharge tends to become very thin and watery, for a few women, so much that you might need to use a panty liner. After that, it becomes very thin, stretchy, almost like an egg-white consistency. That is basically so that the sperms can move up or swim up towards the cervix. Many women use this method to track their ovulation.
Immediately after the ovulation, that discharge tends to become a little less so and becomes thicker, creamer, and a little whitish. This mucus is infertile, while the mucus which was there at the time of ovulation, the thin, stretchy mucus, is the further in me occasions before your periods, the discharge tends to become slightly more in amount.
This pattern of vaginal discharge is regular and is not a cause of worry. Most women produce a teaspoonful of vagina discharge every day, and at the time of ovulation, this can increase up to 30 times, requiring you to use maybe a panty liner or perhaps a thin pad.
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The yellowish discolouration is bleaching or stains you see on your undergarments. The vagina discharge is acidic, leading to fading of the colour of the undergarments. However, that is also not a cause of worry.
When Should You Worry OR Visit a Doctor?
Vaginal discharge is clear, milky and odourless. If there are any changes in vaginal discharge, it might be a sign of a problem, and you must visit your gynecologist.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned, consult a lady doctor now:
- If you feel that your vaginal discharge has suddenly increased more than your normal self.
- Discharge has a foul smell
- White discharge is causing itchiness
- Pain in the vaginal area
- Getting Rashes/ sores/ blisters
- Pain when passing urine
- Bleeding between your periods
- Bloodstain discharge after a sexual activity
- Fever
- Pain in the pelvic area.
