Vaginal discharge during pregnancy

June 10, 2021Females3

Vaginal discharge during pregnancy happens almost all the women in this situation. This is quite normal and happens for a few reasons.

Why vaginal discharge increases during pregnancy-

1.During pregnancy the cervix and vaginal walls get softer and discharge increases to help prevent any infections travelling up from the vagina to the womb.

2.More fluid will be produced due to the increased levels of the progesterone hormone.
It is normal to increase discharge during pregnancy, but it’s important to keep strict vigilance over it.
What type of changes occur in vaginal discharge during pregnancy?

All women, whether they’re pregnant or not, have some vaginal discharge starting a year or 2 before puberty and ending after the menopause. The quantity and quality of discharge changes from time to time which usually gets heavier just before your period.

Reasons for increasing vaginal discharge –

Increased discharge can be a sign of pregnancy – though there are many other reasons also exist of increase discharge, so you can’t be sure of pregnancy only if you discharge increases.
Throughout the pregnancy the amount of discharge go on increasing. Near the end of pregnancy, there may be so much of vaginal discharge which could confuse you whether it is urine or vaginal discharge.
At the completion of pregnancy time or sometimes during mid pregnancy, your vaginal discharge may contain streaks of thick mucus and some blood. This is called a ‘show’ and happens when cervix starts ripening and mucus in cervix comes out.

It’s a sign that the body is starting to prepare for birth of baby and you may have a few small ‘shows’ of cerical mucus in the coming days before you go into labour.
Vaginal discharge colors and their meaning –

The different colors of vaginal discharge indicate towards different health issues. These includes –
• Clear or milky white
This color vaginal discharge during pregnancy suggest leucorrhoea, which is usually a normal and healthy discharge, especially if it smells mild.
• White and lumpy
The lumpy and either white or off-white, resembling cottage cheese, color discharge can indicate a yeast infection.
Pregnant ladies are more susceptible to yeast infections. Its other symptoms include itching, burning and painful urination or intercourse.
• Green or yellow
Green or yellow vaginal discharge is a warning sign. It indicates towards sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as chlamydia or trichomoniasis.It’s other symptoms include redness or irritation in the genitals.
STIs can cause complications during pregnancy that can affect both the women and child.
• Gray
Gray vaginal discharge during pregnancy may indicate a vaginal infection called bacterial vaginosis (BV), particularly if it fishy smelling strongly after intercourse.
Douching and having multiple sexual partners are risk factors for BV. It is the most common vaginal infection during childbearing years.
• Brown
Brown vaginal discharge during pregnancy is not generally a cause for concern. Discharge is usually brown due to old blood leaving the body, which can be an early symptom of pregnancy.
However, if the vaginal discharge color becomes dark brown, you should contact your doctor.
• Pink
Pink vaginal discharge during pregnancy may or may not be normal. Discharge with a pink hue often occurs during early pregnancy asin the final weeks as the body prepares for labor.

It can also occur before a miscarriage or during an ectopic pregnancy.
Other causes of light spotting during pregnancy include sexual intercourse and vaginal infections.
• Red
Red vaginal discharge during pregnancy requires the immediate attention of a doctor, especially if the bleeding is heavy, contains clots or occurs alongside cramping and abdominal pain.
These symptoms suggest miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

How to deal with vaginal discharge during pregnancy?
An increase in the volume of mild-smelling vaginal discharge danny pregnancy is normal but unusual colors such as green, lumpy white, gray, brown, pink, red and odors often indicate certain kind of infection.
A doctor will certainly prescribe antibiotics or other medications to treat infections as it could harm pregnancy.

Women should do following to vaginal health during pregnancy-
1• Avoid douching
2• Avoid using tampons
3• Wear party liners to absorb excess discharge
4• Wipe the genital region from front to back after passing urine or stool
5• Choose unscented personal care products and feminine hygeine items, including soaps and toilet paper.
6• Wear underwear of cotton fabric
7• Dry the genitals thoroughly after shower or swimming
8• Avoid wearing tight jeans
9• Eat a healthy diet and avoid too much sugar, which can encourage yeast infections.

• Try probiotic foods and supplements that are safe to consume during pregnancy.It may prevent bacterial imbalances in the vagina.

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