Is it normal during pregnancy to be discharging

These secretions fill the cervical canal in early pregnancy and create a protective barrier for most of pregnancy. As you get closer to delivery and your cervix begins to thin out efface and open up dilate , these mucus-like secretions may come out of your vagina.

This can be a sign of early labor. Labor still progresses on its own timeline, and your baby remains well protected. Not everyone experiences losing their mucus plug. If you do, it might seem like an increased amount of vaginal discharge over the course of a few days, or a glob of thickened mucus that's clear, pinkish, brownish, or tinged with a bit of blood.

Regular discharge comes out sporadically in small amounts, but amniotic fluid leaks out continuously once your water breaks. Amniotic fluid is usually clear or slightly yellowish, watery, and odorless or slightly sweet-smelling.

When your water breaks, amniotic fluid may come out as a leak or trickle, or in a big, dramatic gush. Either way, it will continue to leak out until you have your baby. If you think it's possible you're leaking amniotic fluid, contact your provider immediately. It's important to find out if you might be going into labor. If you're less than 34 weeks pregnant and you think your water has broken, call your provider right away. You may need medications to delay your labor and speed up the development of your baby's lungs and antibiotics to protect against infection.

There's not much you can do to stop your body's normal vaginal discharge. You can wear panty liners to absorb discharge if you need to but using them frequently may irritate your vulva. Using tampons is not recommended during pregnancy.

Vaginal bleeding or spotting during pregnancy. Pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.

When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. When a woman becomes pregnant, her vagina largely takes on a personality of its own, says Dr. Normal vaginal discharge , known as leukorrhea, is thin, clear, or milky white, and mild smelling.

You may want to wear an unscented panty liner. Avoid tampons in pregnancy. Once you become pregnant, hormones continue to play a role in the changes to your vaginal discharge. Changes to the cervix during pregnancy also affect vaginal discharge. As the cervix and vaginal wall soften, the body produces excess discharge to help prevent infections.

Here are some signs of abnormal discharge:. Abnormal discharge may be a sign of infection. Going into labour before your 37th week of pregnancy is called preterm labour, or premature labour. Read more on myDr website. Chlamydia is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection STI which affects both men and women.

Chlamydia during pregnancy can also cause a number of issues. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering. Video call.

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The mucus is typically sticky and jelly-like in consistency, and it indicates that the body is preparing for labor. This color suggests leukorrhea, which is usually a normal and healthy discharge, especially if it smells mild. However, any changes in its quantity or consistency may suggest an issue.

A woman who is pregnant but not yet at full term should see a doctor if she experiences an increase in clear discharge that leaks continuously or becomes thick and jelly-like.

Vaginal discharge that is lumpy and either white or off-white, resembling cottage cheese, can indicate a yeast infection. Yeast infections are common, and the body is particularly susceptible to them during pregnancy. Other symptoms include itching, burning, and painful urination or intercourse. Green or yellow vaginal discharge is not healthy and suggests a sexually transmitted infection STI , such as chlamydia or trichomoniasis.

Other possible symptoms include redness or irritation in the genitals. STIs sometimes do not cause any symptoms. These complications sometimes do not present until years after the birth, but they can affect the nervous system and development of the child and cause infertility in the woman.

People may occasionally think that they have yellow discharge when they are merely leaking small amounts of urine. Gray vaginal discharge may indicate a vaginal infection called bacterial vaginosis BV , particularly if it also has a fishy smell that becomes stronger following intercourse.

BV is the result of a bacterial imbalance in the vagina. Douching and having multiple sexual partners are risk factors for BV, which is the most common vaginal infection during childbearing years. Discharge is usually brown due to old blood leaving the body, which can be an early symptom of pregnancy.

Brown discharge during pregnancy is not generally a cause for concern.