Vaginal discharge is an everyday occurrence in many women’s lives across the world, but what is it really? Does the change in its colour over the course of a month or even the course of our lives mean anything different or specific? Or are we just supposed to accept the God-gifted sensation of wetness quietly?
What is vaginal discharge made of?
A transparent, watery discharge that is produced from every woman’s vagina, the vaginal discharge is made up of different cells and fluids. It typically aids in cleaning and flushing the vagina, balancing the yeast and the resident healthy bacteria population in the vagina, thereby ensuring vaginal hygiene. The discharge maintains an acidic environment at the vaginal opening to deter incoming infections and growth of harmful bacteria in the reproductive tract.
What causes the different types of vaginal discharges?
Depending on the time of the month, a woman’s vaginal discharge changes colour and consistency (ranging from sticky white to watery clear for a healthy and clean vagina). However, a number of factors play an important role in defining this discharge – namely age, hormone levels, pregnancy, consumption of birth control pills, infection, etc. Even a tiny change in this essential fluid indicates an internal imbalance and/or comprise of security of vaginal hygiene, allowing the bacteria to enter the reproductive system.
What do these differently coloured vaginal discharges indicate?
Sr. No. |
Colour |
Odour and consistency |
Significance |
1. |
Watery, mucus-like discharge |
Odourless and stretchy |
|
2. |
Cheesy or cloudy discharge |
Foul smelling with fish-like stench. Thick consistency. |
|
3. |
Yellow discharge (shades of the colour may range from pale to dark yellow) |
Fish like stench. Creamy texture. |
|
4. |
Neon green discharge |
Sour fishy odour. Pasty feel |
|
5. |
Pink discharge |
Odourless. Blood-stained discharge |
|
6. |
Grey discharge |
Strong smelling. Milky white discharge |
|
7. |
Brown discharge |
Odourless |
It may also indicate a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy - wherein the fertilized egg embeds itself outside of the uterine walls, somewhere along the fallopian tubes. |
8. |
Thick white discharge |
Curdy white, thick, and severely itchy |
Symbolises a severe bout of yeast infection |
While the normal watery mucus type of discharge is odourless and very healthy, as it –
- Protects the reproductive system from outside infections
- Lubricates vagina for intercourse
- Maintains vaginal health and reproductive system hygiene
In case of other types of discharges, it is best to visit your gynaecologist at the earliest to start with effective treatments and nip the problem right in the bud.
In general, it is a good idea to –
- Use sanitary napkins instead of tampons during menstruation and change them every 4-5 hours at least
- Use pure cotton panties and change them at least twice during the course of the day
- Quit vaginal douching
- Avoid fragrant soaps and use plain warm water with a mild soap to wash the vaginal area often everyday
References:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/vaginal-discharge/basics/definition/sym-20050825
http://www.webmd.com/women/tc/normal-vaginal-discharge-topic-overview
http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/vaginal-discharge/basics/causes/sym-20050825
http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/femalehealth/discharge.html
http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/pregnancy-ectopic-pregnancy#1
http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/vaginal-discharge/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050825
http://www.webmd.com/women/guide/vaginal-discharge-whats-abnormal#1
http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/understanding-chlamydia-treatment
https://www.dred.com/uk/gonorrhoea.html