Few women know, what can and should be a normal vaginal discharge and when discharge from the vagina talk about the disease.
Vaginal discharge can vary in color (red-bloody, brown, gray, black, whitish, greenish, yellowish, pink), texture (gelatinous, cheesy, frothy) smell and without smell. Vaginal discharge can be accompanied by other symptoms (itching, irritation, pain) or it may be the only symptom of the disease. In this article, we describe the most common vaginal discharges and describes the methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases that are accompanied by secretions. Also in this article we will talk about the problem of vaginal discharge in pregnant women.
Healthy women have vaginal discharge consists of mucus produced by the glands of the cervix. A small but tenacious white discharge from the vagina helps to cleanse the genital tract of women and prevent the occurrence of infection.
Normal vaginal discharge not abundant, mucous membranes, can be slightly turbid from the admixture of epithelial cells of the vagina, if during the day using the same daily strip — sharing may become slightly yellowish. The nature and amount of vaginal discharge depending on the day of the menstrual cycle: mid-cycle as you approach ovulation vaginal discharge becomes similar to the consistency of egg white, the discharge is more abundant than usual, more alkaline. Increases the amount of vaginal bleeding during sexual excitement, especially during sexual intercourse. Normal discharge does not cause discomfort, do not cause discomfort: itching, burning and irritation of the genital tract. If PAP normal discharge, so it has increased the number of white blood cells, and the flora is dominated by sticks.
The smell of fresh discharge from the vagina is almost gone, smelling discharge appears, when propagated in bacteria.
- Transparent, stretchy, slippery discharge, similar to egg protein, most abundant in mid-cycle before ovulation is normal.
- Creamy meager selection — the second half of the cycle is the norm.
- Creamy discharge — last-during the day — the norm.
- Transparent, white or slightly yellowish discharge and clots in the first hours after unprotected intercourse, when the sperm gets into the vagina is normal.
- Abundant fluid discharge of white morning after unprotected sex is the norm.
- Scant creamy white discharge after sex with a condom or without ejaculation in the vagina — vaginal lubrication is normal.
- Scarlet red spotting, worse — menstruation the first day is the norm.
- Highlight blood red bloody streaks in the middle of the cycle (between periods) — it happened shortly after ovulation at mid-cycle — a normal variant.
- Liquid, clear, whitish discharge, similar to milk during pregnancy, usually increases the term — the norm, if not to irritate the external genitalia and does not have an unpleasant odor.
The choice before menstruation
Flora and the secret of the vagina depends on the hormonal changes during the different phases of the cycle, so the color and consistency of discharge can change before menstruation discharge may become turbid, yellowish, or white and are more abundant (feeling of constant humidity), the more viscous. But maintaining such discharge or after menstruation, especially if these symptoms are accompanied by itching of the vagina or abdominal pain, you should consult a doctor gynecologist.
Brown discharge before menstruation — it is a secretion, mixed with blood. Bleeding normal can occur a day or two before the start of heavy menstrual bleeding. If the spotting is preceded by a month more than 2 days, or brown, pink, red-brown discharge appear in the middle of the menstrual cycle is likely to indicate disease.
Brown discharge before menstruation can signal hormonal disorders, presence of any infection (especially of endometritis — inflammation of endometrium), hematological diseases natural. Very often such phenomena with endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial polyps. In particular, brown discharge before menstruation along with other symptoms (pain with menstruation lasting longer than 7 days, heavy flow and clots) are the signs of endometriosis.
Brown discharge in the middle of the cycle can be a sign of progesterone deficiency and polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition causing the infertility and require treatment. Too heavy bleeding during menstruation — you need an ultrasound to evaluate the status of internal genital organs. Such bleeding can be symptoms of uterine fibroids, endometriosis, less than the normal thickness of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) and curettage (procedure) is not necessarily required. If the cause of bleeding hypertrophy (increase in thickness) of endometrial polyps in the uterus or the cervix, curettage should be done carefully. This will stop the bleeding and allow histological examination to rule out more serious pathology.
The choice of diseases
Permanent, does not change during the cycle of selection, except during menstruation, happens when a woman takes hormonal contraceptives, or suffer from infertility and there is no inflammation of the vagina.
- Al spotting a few days before menstruation — cervical erosion, endocervicitis.
- Al bleeding during pregnancy, detachment of the ovum or placenta, threatened miscarriage.
- Al spotting after intercourse — small cracks in the vagina, formed during sexual intercourse, cervical erosion, cervical.
- After abortion can be spotting, various sizes and colors. After 1 week. Be sure to consult your gynecologist and do control ultrasound.
- Mucus white or transparent mucus streaked with white at the end of the cycle, before menstruation — cervical erosion, cervicitis (inflammation of the cervical canal). Mucus in some way related to the cervix.
- White or curd like yogurt selection, movie the white color or the plaque between the large and small labia, the clitoris, usually together with bread or sour milk smell — thrush (candidiasis).
- White or slightly greenish, gray, peeling movies of your choice, usually along with the fish smell vaginal dysbiosis (gardnerellosis).
- Yellowish or greenish, abundant discharge, acute bacterial infection of the vagina, acute adnexitis (inflammation of the ovaries), acute salpingitis (inflammation of fallopian tubes).
- Scanty yellow or greenish discharge — bacterial infection of the vagina, cervical erosion, chronic adnexitis (inflammation of the ovaries), chronic salpingitis (inflammation of fallopian tubes).
- Purulent discharge green, thick, together with the mucus, by fixing the voltage, after defecation — purulent cervical.
- The sharing of large clots during menstruation — tilted cervix, blood clotting — tendency to thrombosis, deficiencies of vitamins of group b, the pathological process in the uterus (polyps, endometriosis, fibroids). Also, this eruption comes, if a woman has an intrauterine device.
Share during pregnancy
During pregnancy vaginal discharge especially afraid of women. Indeed, during pregnancy should be particularly cautious, the presence of secretions and to follow their nature.
Selection in the early stages of pregnancy. Vaginal discharge in early pregnancy, as mentioned at the beginning of the article can be more abundant than usual, this is normal, if the discharge is still open, has no odor and is not accompanied by other symptoms, such as itching or pain in the genital area. The appearance of vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy may indicate a miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. Purulent, or a whitish discharge from the vagina in early pregnancy may indicate the presence of inflammation.
White discharge during pregnancy is usually signs of thrush.
Spotting brown discharge during pregnancy is a very unfavorable symptom. This is a sign of threatened miscarriage. Other diseases here and. Can increase the secretions from the day of expected menstruation, the color of the discharge can be yellowish. Limit sexual activity during this period, in order to avoid the threat of abortion.
Share in the later stages of pregnancy. In the middle of pregnancy in the later stages normal vaginal discharge can become more viscous and thick. Sudden spotting can indicate the beginning of a miscarriage or premature birth, and therefore, immediately upon detection of should seek help from a doctor. brown discharge during pregnancy can indicate bleeding in the small blood vessels in the cervix and also require a medical examination.
Discharge after giving birth
A few weeks after birth, until there is a restoration of the uterine mucosa (endometrium), a young mother has saved genital discharge - vaginal. When it finishes? Towards the end of pregnancy the uterus weighs about 1 kg. Immediately after the child is born and the placenta it is dramatically reduced, and you can lose about 250-300 ml of blood. This blood loss is considered physiological, it is normal and not a threat to life.
They appear, regardless of whether you gave birth naturally or by caesarean section. Usually a maximum of 10 days lochia spotting, later they become light and lasts for 5-6 weeks. Although the choice on, doctors recommend that women wash after each visit to the toilet. For this purpose, it is convenient to use a small plastic bottle of water. I continued to check, you can wash a shower, no bath. Bathe with 5-6 weeks after the study gynecologist. However, if the uterus is too slow or too fast, reduce the outflow of it may be broken. Sometimes there is a blockage of the uterus of blood clots and inflammation begins.
Contact your doctor immediately:
- If you have every hour to completely soak the blood sanitary pad and it lasts more than four hours;
- If the secretions smell bad;
- If you have a fever;
- If you feel feverish;
- If you feel a constant pain in the lower abdomen.
All of these symptoms can be related to obstruction of the cervical blood clots and the worsening of the outflow. Treatment doctors prescribe tools that reduce the uterus, and relieve inflammation. If uterine infection develops, antibiotics are prescribed. In this case, you do not need to stop breastfeeding. Many antibiotics do not penetrate into breast milk and harm the baby. Consult a gynecologist and a pediatrician. A pediatrician can give a child biological products, which protect the intestinal function of antibiotics.
Vaginal discharge before and after sex
During sexual arousal the glands vestibule of the vagina in women began to actively develop the so-called vaginal lubrication. Therefore, in the presence of a liquid crystalline secretions immediately before sex or during sex is normal.
The appearance of a thick heavy discharge (maybe with unpleasant odor) immediately after sex (or another day) to join the cleaning vagina of sperm (this is possible if the sexual act was complete, the male orgasm and not a condom was used). Typically, such selection to quickly quit. Vaginal bleeding during intercourse or immediately after it may indicate the presence of cervical erosion.
The appearance of white, yellow, gray or greenish purulent discharge from the vagina for a few days or weeks after sex can indicate the development of infection. If the mucus acquire a certain color, smell, needed the help of a qualified specialist, because this trait speaks of the pathology of the pelvic organs. The smell can be a sign of a purulent process, but it has a yellowish-green discharge. This symptom is characteristic of gonorrhea, trichomoniasis.
These diseases are transmitted through unprotected sex or blood transfusions. 1-3 weeks after infection there are other symptoms: itching, burning sensation of the vagina, the urethra, pain during sexual intercourse. Contact bleeding (after sexual intercourse) can be due to cervical pathology (detected by gynecological examination) or pathology of the uterus — polyps, hyperplasia, fibroids, etc. Clarify the reasons why you need to do an ultrasound at different times of the cycle may need tests of functional diagnostics.