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Vaginal discharge

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

Substances emitted from the vagina can vary in consistency (thick, pasty, thin), color (clear, cloudy), and smell (normal, odorless, bad odor).

Alternative Names:

Discharge from the vagina

Considerations:

Having some amount of vaginal discharge is normal, especially if you are of childbearing age. Glands in the cervix produce a clear mucus. These secretions may turn white or yellow when exposed to the air. These are normal variations.

The amount of mucus produced by the cervical glands varies throughout the menstrual cycle. This is normal and depends on the amount of estrogen circulating in your body.

Vaginal discharge that suddenly differs in color, odor, or consistency, or significantly increases or decreases in amount, may indicate an underlying problem like an infection. If abnormal vaginal discharge is due to a sexually transmitted disease (STD), your sexual partner(s) will likely require treatment as well.

Common Causes:

The following situations can increase the amount of normal vaginal discharge:

• Sexual excitement
• Emotional stress
• Ovulation (when you produce and release an egg from your ovary in the middle of your menstrual cycle)

These conditions can lead to abnormal vaginal discharge:

• Vaginal yeast infection -- Technically not an infection, yeast that normally live in the vagina overgrow, causing a cheesy white discharge with redness and itching. Vaginal yeast infections may be related to antibiotics, birth control or other estrogen pills, pregnancy, diabetes, or a weakened immune system.
• Bacterial vaginosis (BV) -- Bacteria that normally live in the vagina overgrow, causing a grey discharge and fishy odor that worsen after sexual intercourse. BV is not sexually transmitted.
• Trichomonas ("Trich") -- A sexually-transmitted parasite that causes yellowish-grey or green discharge and intense itching.
• Other infections and sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia or gonorrhea.
• Forgotten tampon or foreign body.
• Cervical or vaginal cancer -- rarely a cause of excess discharge.

References:

Anderson M, Karasz A, Friedland S. Are vaginal symptoms ever normal? A review of the literature. MedGenMed . 2004; 6(4): 49.

Melville C, Nandwani R, Bigrigg A, McMahon AD. A comparative study of clinical management strategies for vaginal discharge in family planning and genitourinary medicine settings. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care . 2005; 31(1): 26-30.

French L, Horton J, Matousek M. Abnormal vaginal discharge: what does and does not work in treating underlying causes. J Fam Pract . 2004; 53(11): 890-894.

• Review Date: 8/8/2005
• Reviewed By: Sharon Roseanne Thompson, M.D., M.P.H., Clinical Fellow, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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