Vaginal Discharge during Pregnancy: Noticing a greater amount of vaginal discharge during pregnancy may make you extremely concerned about what is actually going on in your body.
To settle your fears, you should know that vaginal discharge is common when you are pregnant just like when you were not pregnant. If anything the amount of discharge your body produces is actually much more than you are used to.
Vaginal Discharge during Pregnancy: Facts!
As you progress further into your last term, you may notice that the secretion coming out of your vagina is become more abundant. This usually happens as a woman approaches labor. This is absolutely normal and there is nothing to worry about unless the discharge appears to be abnormal.
The secretion that is leaving your body should be milky white just like it was when you were not pregnant. It is also odorless but some ladies may carry a mild odor which is not repulsive. This substance is medically called leukorrhea.
- Most doctors often let their patients become aware of this as the pregnancy progresses.
If your doctor has not discussed it with you, he/she may have felt that it is not worth mentioning since secretion is absolutely normal and expected in a woman’s body. Furthermore, some women do not notice or are not producing extra vaginal fluid.
Vaginal Discharge during Pregnancy: Attention!
The reason why you are experiencing more discharge is due to the changes of your body’s hormones. The increase in estrogen production and the greater blood flow to the vagina causes the expelling of extra liquid. Also, the secretions are greater because it is a mixture of liquids from the vagina, the cervix, old cells and the bacterial flora.
- Early in your pregnancy, your cervix created a protective barrier with cervical secretions.
The secretions then accumulated in the cervical canal. As you progress during your term, the cervix dilates. When it opens up, the mucus thins out and becomes apparent on your underwear or when you use the bathroom. Some women expel the whole barrier in one huge glob, others little by little and some others may see the liquid tinted with blood.
If you expel a huge glob and/or liquid tinted with blood, you should call your doctor. It may be nothing to worry about but it is best to make sure that the liquid you see is actually your cervical mucus and not amniotic fluid.
You might also consider calling your doctor if you notice the increase in mucus before you reach thirty-seven weeks in your trimester. This can be a sign of preterm labor. Other signs that will validate this possibility is watery liquid that may or may not be bloody. The color of blood can very from pink to brown. Brown is an indicator of older blood that was in the body.
Vaginal Discharge during Pregnancy: Do not overlook this!
Another reason why you may need to call a doctor would be if you are suffering from discomfort. The usual red flags are pain during sexual intercourse or when you urinate. If the vulva is inflamed, you could have a yeast infection. This is usually validated with a sore, itchy and burning sensation.
- If the fluid that is being expelled smells bad, you may have a bacterial infection.
This is more noticeable after sexual intercourse. The discharge will have a very fishy scent to it and may appear gray in color. Sexual transmitted diseases are also possible in this case. Vaginal liquids that are secreted when a STD is present are usually very foul in smell and have various colors. The most common colors are a frothy green, yellow and/or gray.
If you think you have an infection, do not self medicate with over-the-counter drugs. A doctor has to do a test to know what you are suffering from. Some bacterial infections have similar symptoms to STD infections.
If the vaginal discharge during pregnancy is nothing harmful to you or your unborn child, then there is not much you can do about the secretions. The best thing a doctor will suggest is to use panty liners or a pad. Do not use a tampon, since you can cause damage to your cervix while pregnant.
Do not consider douches since it can disrupt the natural flow of bacteria in the vagina. Also in some cases, douches can create air bubbles in the vagina. The air bubbles will cause severe complications in your pregnancy. Your main focus is to keep your body clean and healthy.
The secretions are just a natural function that you must deal with. Keeping yourself clean at all times is the best way to deal with the vaginal discharge and this is important to know when it comes to searching for proven facts about Vaginal Discharge during Pregnancy.
