Ever wonder how discharge before period vs. early pregnancy varies? As a health-conscious woman, what you need to know about vaginal discharge before period and during pregnancy is here. Of course, your vaginal discharge tells lots of things about your health, and if it’s increased, you may be pregnant. The vagina is a part of a woman’s body that leads her to experience discharge at different times. But what if it’s changed? When should you seek the doctor? Let’s find it out. This article will guide you through the detailed information of vaginal discharge before period and during pregnancy.
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What Is It (White Vaginal Discharge)?
Vagina discharges a normal substance, and you can call it any fluid that is not your menstrual blood or urine. Of course, it’s a secret of the vagina that reveals healthy or unhealthy. Have you heard of Cervical Mucus? It is a substance released by the cervix. Women’s hormones make this part produce mucus, and there is a hormonal imbalance due to the menstrual cycle or pregnancy; this fluid can change its colour, amount, and texture.
Before your periods, you may experience a white vaginal discharge known as Leukorrhea. It is a mixture of fluid and cells that your vagina sheds. Sometimes, it may look slightly yellowish.
Do You Know: discharge before period vs. early pregnancy?
It’s a part of your menstrual cycle known as the luteal phase. It is a sign that your body’s progesterone hormone is at its peak. Do you know that when estrogen is a dominant hormone, you may have a stretchy, clear, or watery discharge? But if progesterone is at its peak, it leads to turning this discharge’s mucus cloudy or white.
Tracking Potential Fertility:
Do you know that many women use this white discharge to track their fertility, which is known as the family planning strategy? You can also call it a fertility awareness method. In this article on discharge before period vs. early pregnancy, we will discuss both in detail.
If you have stretchy mucus, it is a sign of fertility. The reason is that it occurs around the egg that has been released, but having a white discharge means infertile cervical mucus. So it means that you may have this mucus when it’s the beginning of your periods and you are not fertile.
Is Vaginal Discharge Normal?
Of course, it’s normal, but yes, it tells your physical health. For example, it tells about active infection in your menstrual cycle or hydration level. If the amount of discharge has been increased, it may signify pregnancy. That’s why we will discuss both types of release and when to seek doctors.
Experiencing Different Discharge?
Most girls and women would experience different types of discharge during their menstrual cycle. But what is the average amount of this discharge? It may be a teaspoon of thin and thick odorless mucus a day. Then, of course, its color would change from white to clear to brown.
It’s random, and you may not even know about it. It can have different colors and textures due to hormonal changes and happenings inside your body.
What’s Healthy And Unhealthy Vaginal Discharge?
If your vaginal discharge is healthy, you will experience the following.
- Thin discharge. Or it may be clear and milky white with a mild, inoffensive odor.
However, the Unhealthy Vaginal Discharge can be like the following.
- Smelling foul
- Lumpy
- Yellow or green
- Itchiness around your vagina
- Painful urination
These all are the symptoms of infection, and you may have unhealthy vaginal discharge, and if you experience this, you must seek a doctor.
Vaginal Discharge Helps!
The color and the texture of your vaginal discharge don’t matter when it comes to lubricating your vagina’s tissues. But, of course, it keeps the tissues lubricated and healthy. Hence, until your discharge has the symptoms like pain, itchiness, or redness, it’s good for your vaginal health.
What Causes Vaginal Discharge (Before Periods)?
There are several causes of white discharge before periods. Let’s discuss each in brief.
1. Normal Reproduction System’s Function:
White discharge before period is a part do your menstrual cycle. At this stage, we know it as Egg White Mucus. It must be thin, slippery, and stretchy. Mainly, it’s odorless.
2. Birth Control:
If you practice birth control, it would imbalance your hormones, increasing your discharge. And, of course, it’s a side effect of birth control.
3. Pregnancy:
If you stop getting periods and still have a discharge, it shows you may be pregnant. It’s challenging to tell that release is due to pregnancy because it’s a part of your monthly cycle. But if it’s due to pregnancy, you may have a creamier and thicker discharge.
4. STI Or STD:
Sexually transmitted diseases or infections can also lead to vaginal discharge. Chlamydia, trichomonas, and Gonorrhea are sexually transmitted infections that lead to discharge. It would look like pus or yellow. The conditions may not have any symptoms, but the release may look yellowish or greenish. It may have fishy-smelling or feelings of itchiness.
5. Yeast Infection (Candidiasis):
These infections are common, but it is not easy to find their root cause. For example, you may be using antibiotics that lead to yeast infection and discharge before period. It may look like cottage cheese, and of course, they make you feel itchy and burning in your vagina or vulva.
6. Bacterial Vaginosis:
If the natural bacterial balance in your vagina changes, you may have this infection. You can not identify its root cause, but some experts say it is due to smoking, douching, changing sexual partners, or having sex with multiple partners. It also produces a fishy smell and has greyish-white color.
7. Discharge During Early Pregnancy:
The second part of this article about discharge before period vs. early pregnancy is this. But, first, let’s discuss discharge in your early pregnancy.
A pregnant woman may experience increased Vaginal Discharge at early pregnancy stages. It is because pregnancy leads to more estrogen and makes your body produce more discharge, and it also increases the blood flow to the uterus and vagina.
If this discharge is increased, it can help protect the fetus because it prevents any infections traveling to the uterus from the vagina. As time passes, the discharge will also increase until the delivery of the baby during pregnancy.
How It Looks (Healthy Vaginal Discharge)?
If your discharge during pregnancy is healthy, it is also known as Leukorrhea. Of course, it should be the same as routine discharge. It means healthy pregnancy discharge is thin, clear, or milky white and will hardly smell or not. But of course, during pregnancy, you may have increased discharge.
What Causes discharge before period vs early pregnancy?
Here is the main reason why discharge during pregnancy changes.
1. Infections:
Infections like yeast or STIs can change the way the vagina have discharge. That’s why it’s essential to this behavior and the health of your discharge.
What Is Unhealthy Pregnancy Discharge?
The following are examples of unhealthy discharge from the vagina during pregnancy if you have any STIs, STDs, or regular infections.
2. Thick & Chunky:
It’s similar to cottage cheese. You can call it a yeast infection during pregnancy.
3. Fishy Smell:
It’s due to Bacterial Vaginosis. So, it’s also a reason why discharge varies.
4. Yellow/Green/Possibly Frothy:
If you have this type of discharge which’s color is yellowish or greenish, it’s due to Trichomonas.
5. Increased Discharge:
If you experience increased vaginal discharge, and it’s accompanied by pelvic pain or bleeding, it’s due to Gonorrhea or Chlamydia.
6. Increased Discharge From Sores/Blisters:
If this is the condition in your case, your discharge is caused by Genital Herpes.
What Can You Expect Throughout The Cycle?
After periods end, you may experience some dryness. Three to five days after that may lead to cloudy, white, and sticky discharge. This phase is the follicular phase, and the egg develops at this stage.
What Happens In The Follicular Phase?
It’s an egg evolution time, when you may have lots of stretchy and clear, or watery and clear discharge. It’s widespread. Do not worry if it’s up to 30 times regular discharge every day. It’s an Egg White discharge that is thin and slippery and helps the sperm travel quickly to the waiting egg.
When To Seek Doctors?
Many times discharge shows about problems with the health. Therefore, if you experience the following, call your doctor.
- Burning, pain, or discomfort around the vagina
- Sores or rashes (with or without discharge)
- Foul or strong vaginal odor
- Swelling, redness, and more itchiness
- Color change (yellowish or greenish)
If these symptoms don’t go in a few days of discharge before period or during pregnancy, you must talk to the doctor. Otherwise, it may be the symptoms of any light or complex infection.
Wrapping Up:
Did you understand what to do when you discharge before period vs. early pregnancy? This article has discussed things to know about discharge, how it changes, what you may experience, and when to seek doctors. Therefore, if you think your discharge is not normal and causing issues, you must seek an expert and talk about your health. Vaginal discharge tells about your health. So, understand what it says.
