Vaginal discharge might seem like nothing more than an inconvenience, but it’s actually your vagina’s biggest sidekick. It’s designed to keep your vagina clean, prevent infection and even promote pregnancy when you’re ovulating.

It comes in many different colours, textures and consistency, depending on the day of your menstrual cycle, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, and if you are sexually aroused.

Understanding your vaginal discharge can be helpful for everyone, but it’s especially important if you want to get to know your menstrual patterns or if you’re trying to conceive.

Cervical mucus can change throughout your menstrual cycle

Cervical mucus is one type of vaginal discharge, produced by the cervix. It changes based on what stage of your menstrual cycle you're in, or if you are pregnant. 

Let’s take a look at how it appears throughout your menstrual cycle, so you can understand your cycle better:

• Near ovulation - When you’re approaching ovulation, your cervical mucus starts to increase. You can expect to see wet and slippery discharge that is usually cloudy white in colour.
• Ovulation - You’ll be making the most amount of discharge when you ovulate. It becomes clear and stringy almost like egg white that you can stretch between your fingers.
• Post-ovulation - After ovulation, your cervical mucus tends to be sticky and thick, but then it dries up as you near menstruation. However, if you have conceived during ovulation, you might continue to produce it.
• Pre-ovulation - You usually don’t experience any discharge right after your period and might have a few ‘dry days.’ Any vaginal discharge you do see will be thick and sticky, and could be white or yellow.

If you’re trying to conceive, start having sex when your cervical mucus increases

Amazingly, when you’re ovulating, your cervical mucus becomes the perfect matchmaker for your sperm and egg. It creates the ideal viscosity and environment for the sperm to travel through the cervix to meet the egg (and maybe even make a match).

If you are looking to conceive, it’s best to start having sex in the near ovulation phase of your cycle as this could mean you’re already fertile. So when you start seeing slippery and cloudy white discharge, well, you know what to do ;).

But don’t panic if you don’t see a lot of cervical mucus in your underwear! Everyone creates different amounts and it’s no indicator of your fertility. There’s an easy way to check it internally by putting two clean fingers into your vagina, and giving your cervix a good stroke.

Sexual arousal = increased discharge (no surprises there!)

When you experience sexual attraction or desire, your body creates another type of discharge called arousal fluid. This type is usually a clear, watery discharge.

This is because your body is sending blood to flow to your genitals and vaginal walls which passes fluid through them, to create the perfect lubrication for sex (or self-pleasure - you do you!)

Discharge can even be a hint to pregnancy  

Another benefit of getting to know your vaginal discharge is that it can sometimes be an early sign of pregnancy.

Discharge during pregnancy is a thin, clear or milky white colour that has a mild odour – called leukorrhea – and can be spotted as soon as one to two weeks after conception. Your production of discharge will increase and become heavier as a way to dispose of dead cells and fight bacteria and infections from entering the womb. However, if your discharge becomes a watery, straw (urine) colour, this could amniotic fluid and you should speak with your health care provider as it could mean preterm labor.

As you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy, your vaginal discharge may increase even more and contain streaks of sticky pink mucus. This is called a ‘show’ and is a sign that your body is preparing to give birth. In other words, it’s telling you that the real show will soon begin. 

You can expect your vaginal discharge to change during menopause

Your discharge may change during perimenopause and the menopause due to a shift in your hormone levels.

This isn’t one-size-fits-all - some people experience an increase in vaginal discharge due to the vagina becoming thinner, drier and more easily irritated. However, some people find that their decreasing hormones lead to less discharge.

Just remember that your body is going through a lot of changes during this time, so a change in discharge is normal too. It’s important to be kind and gentle to yourself and remember that as long as your discharge is white or clear and does not cause pain or irritation, then you probably don’t have anything to worry about.

In general, look out for abnormal discharge as it can be a sign of vaginal infection

If you aren’t already convinced that your discharge is your vagina’s best friend, then here’s another reason: it lets you know when something’s not right.

Normal discharge is often asymptomatic, with no foul odour. Every vagina has a specific pH and balance of bacteria, and it often doesn't take much to throw it off. Your discharge will often change as it serves as one of the first signs of infection, so it’s important to be aware of what abnormal discharge could mean. Here’s a helpful breakdown:

• White and thick, like cottage cheese - Thrush, or yeast infection (this is usually accompanied by itchiness or irritation around the vagina)
• Thin and greyish, fishy odour - Bacterial Vaginosis, a very common bacterial infection.
• Frothy, Green, yellow discharge, fishy odour- Often caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like trichomoniasis
• Brown discharge - Most of the time it is signalling the end of your menstrual cycle. However, if you experience brown discharge after your period, it can often be a sign of and STI or cervical cancer.
• With pelvic pain or vaginal bleeding - Chlamydia or gonorrhoea. It is important you get treated as soon as possible as chlamydia and gonorrhoea may spread up through your body and lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
• With blisters or sores - Genital herpes

If you’re experiencing one of the above symptoms, book an appointment with a healthcare provider or head to a sexual health clinic to get tested. 

Your vaginal discharge is your vagina’s secret weapon

Vaginal discharge is a normal, healthy experience, and frankly we think it’s pretty awesome.

It keeps your vagina clean, helps you spot infections, identifies the best time to conceive and can even be the first sign of pregnancy (so join the fan club).

To keep your vagina healthy, always use protection, especially with new a new sexual partner, and avoid using perfumed or non-perfumed soaps or gels around your vagina, deodorants or scented hygiene wipes and washing inside your vagina. If the continual wetness causes you discomfort, you can opt for use of panty liners. If you have any questions about any of the content covered, speak with your GP or Fertifa Patient Advisor, we're always here to help 💜