It’s easy to start worrying about your vaginal discharge, particularly if it smells or there’s suddenly more of it than usual. This sticky, sometimes slimy, mucus can sometimes have a fishy odour, or it can change in texture, leaving us fretting about what is ‘normal 'and what isn’t. We’re here to demystify the subject with a guide to what vaginal discharge actually is, what’s ‘normal’, and when it’s time to see a doctor.
What is vaginal discharge?
Vaginal discharge is a clear, white or off-white mucus or fluid that keeps your vagina clean, lubricated and protects it from infection. It’s made up of mucus, cells and bacteria from your uterus, cervix and vagina and plays a vital part in maintaining your vaginal health.
While almost all women and girls of reproductive age get vaginal discharge, it varies in amount and texture from person to person. It also changes during your cycle - for example, when you ovulate it usually becomes more wet and slippery, helping any sperm that’s present in the cervix to reach the egg. At other times it can be thick and sticky, or on some days you may have no discharge.
How do you know if your vaginal discharge is normal?
Smell is something we often worry about. It’s normal for your vaginal discharge to have a slight odour: there are natural bacterial flora in your vagina, and this can cause the mucus to have a slightly tangy or sour smell. It can occasionaly also smell metallic around the time of your period.
Other characteristics of normal discharge can include:
- Varying textures, from watery, to sticky and stretchy, to thick and pasty, due to hormonal fluctuations
- A variation of colour, from clear, to off-white and white
- A slightly sour smell, due to your vagina’s naturally acidic pH
- A musty smell, as your pelvic region can get hot and sweaty
- A varying amount, which can change from person to person and throughout the month
- An increase in clear and wet vaginal discharge when you’re sexually aroused, helping to make sex more pleasurable
- An increase in volume if you are pregnant or on the contraceptive pill
Becoming familiar with the natural patterns in your discharge during your cycle can help you know when something isn’t normal for you, and when to seek advice. Vaginal discharge is a normal and healthy part of your body’s inner workings and is usually a sign that your vagina is functioning as it should do.
When should you see a doctor about your vaginal discharge?
If your discharge changes – for example if you’ve noticed an unfamiliar or unpleasant smell or it’s become lumpy and thick– it could be a sign of an infection. It’s always a good idea to see a doctor or specialist if you’re concerned, rather than trying to self-diagnose.
The following are symptoms to watch out for:
Smell: if your discharge is suddenly smelling unusually fishy or has an unfamiliar odour, you may have an infection – for example, thrush or bacterial vaginosis. Watch out for other symptoms such as itching or soreness.
Changes to texture: infections such as thrush can cause a change in the texture of your vaginal discharge. For example, it may become lumpy and white, a bit like cottage cheese, and accompanied by itchiness or burning.
Colour: unusual changes to colour, such as dark yellow, brown, green or grey discharge could mean there’s something wrong.
Volume: the amount of discharge can change throughout your cycle, but any significant increases that are unusual may indicate a problem. Alternatively, if your vagina is feeling dry, with very little discharge, it may be a sign of perimenopause or menopause.
What infections can cause a change in your vaginal discharge?
If you’ve noticed anything unusual, or unpleasant, accompanied by itchiness or irritation around your vagina, you may have an infection that needs treatment.
Possible causes of changes to your discharge include:
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV): symptoms include a frothy white or grey discharge with a strong fishy smell. Your vagina may also be itchy and swollen. It affects 10-30 % of reproductive age women at any time, but luckily, it’s easily treatable with antibiotics.
Thrush: one of the most common vaginal yeast infections, caused by an overproduction of the candida fungus in the vagina. It causes a thick, white, cottage cheese type discharge and is often accompanied by itchiness and irritation. Over the counter thrush treatments are usually enough to treat it.
Trichomoniasis (‘trich’): a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that produces an unpleasant fishy smell that’s similar to BV, and sometimes a yellowish-green discharge. A course of antibiotics will usually clear it up quickly.
Gonorrhoea and chlamydia: these are two extremely common STIs that can cause cloudy, yellow or green vaginal discharge. Other symptoms include pain when peeing, bleeding between periods and painful sex. It’s important to see a doctor if you think you may have one of these infections as they can spread if left untreated, leading to pelvic pain and pelvic inflammatory disease.
What else can cause changes to your normal vaginal discharge?
There are a number of other factors that can cause changes in your normal discharge, including:
Hormonal changes: during perimenopause and menopause a drop in your oestrogen levels can lead to thinning and drying of the vaginal walls, and a significant reduction in discharge. This can cause discomfort and pain during sex - topical vaginal oestrogen as well as HRT can be extremely helpful.
Tampon: a forgotten tampon can quickly lead to an offensive smell quite quickly, so it’s always a good idea to check if you’ve removed it or not.
Gynaecological cancers: in extremely rare instances an unpleasant smelling discharge can be one of the symptoms of cervical or uterine cancer. However, this is unlikely to be the only symptom and would usually be alongside other signs such as bleeding and spotting, especially during intercourse.
How should you keep your vagina clean?
Discharge is a normal part of a healthy vagina, and it’s not a good idea to try and get rid of it, especially through douching (flushing with water). Your vagina keeps itself clean through healthy bacteria that prevent fungi and micro-organisms from growing out of control - flushing it with water can upset its natural balance and lead to infections.
Tips for looking after your vagina include:
- Washing the vaginal area gently once a day with warm water and mild soap
- Avoiding perfumed ‘feminine’ products, such as wipes or gels, as well as perfumed soaps
- Avoiding wearing tight clothing or sweaty clothes for long periods of time
- Wiping your vagina from front to back to prevent any bacteria entering the vagina
Seeing a doctor or specialist about your vaginal discharge
If you’ve noticed any unusual changes to your discharge, or if you have other symptoms such as itching, burning or bleeding, it’s important to speak to a doctor,
Our women’s healthcare team includes consultant gynaecologists and GPs with a specialism in gynaecology. They can discuss your symptoms with you and carry out an examination, taking a swab if necessary, to check for thrush or STIs. They offer confidential, personalised and empathetic treatment, that is dedicated to your individual needs.
Visit our London clinic
We’re here to offer our care and expertise and discuss any gynaecological symptoms you are concerned about. We have affordable appointments with our specialists at a time to suit you. To find out more, please telephone 020 7244 4200 or make an appointment online