What does normal vaginal discharge look like?

Leucorrhea is a common secretion in women's vagina. The amount of leucorrhea varies in women at different stages of their lives, and is especially closely related to the menstrual period. Under normal circumstances, women's leucorrhea is milky white, but in life, leucorrhea can become abnormal due to various gynecological diseases. The following introduces the normal manifestations of leucorrhea.

What does normal vaginal discharge look like?

Normal leucorrhea should be milky white or colorless and transparent, with a slightly fishy smell or no smell; its secretion amount and texture are affected by the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body, and vary cyclically with the menstrual cycle, with varying amounts, textures and thicknesses. If there is no abnormality in the leucorrhea examination and there is no itching or pain, there should be no problem. Just keep the vagina clean at ordinary times.

Normal leucorrhea should be white, sometimes transparent, sometimes sticky, and have no odor. The normal amount of leucorrhea is related to personal constitution and also to the menstrual cycle. Generally speaking, the amount of vaginal discharge is less just after the menstrual period, and then the amount slowly increases. During the ovulation period, a large amount of transparent, sticky and odorless secretions will appear. After ovulation, the secretions will decrease but become thicker. Before menstruation, secretions may increase again and become slightly yellow, and there are also large individual differences.

Leucorrhea is usually white, thin, and odorless. It is a mixture of vaginal mucosal exudate, cervical glands and endometrial secretions. Generally speaking, the amount of vaginal discharge varies from person to person, and the same person may also have different changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Generally in the middle of the menstrual cycle, due to the vigorous secretion of cervical endometrial glandular cells, the amount of leucorrhea may increase, and it is similar to egg white, although it is thin and transparent. Pelvic congestion and increased vaginal mucosal exudate before and after menstruation are all normal changes. If the leucorrhea has the following conditions, it is abnormal:

1. Purulent leucorrhea. The vaginal discharge is yellow or green and has a foul odor. This is generally caused by Trichomonas vaginitis or purulent bacterial infection. It is common in Trichomonas vaginitis, gonorrhea, chronic cervicitis, vaginal foreign bodies, etc. The main symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are increased vaginal discharge with a foul odor, which may be accompanied by mild vulvar itching or burning sensation. The leucorrhea is off-white, uniformly thin, and has very low viscosity.

2. Tofu-like leucorrhea. It is unique to candidal vaginitis and is often accompanied by vulvar itching.

3. Bloody leucorrhea. That is, there is blood mixed in the leucorrhea. If this kind of leucorrhea occurs, you should be alert to the possibility of malignant tumor. Such as cervical cancer, uterine cancer, etc. This type of leucorrhea may also occur with some benign lesions. Such as cervical polyps, submucosal myomas, and severe chronic cervicitis.

4. Yellow leucorrhea. Light yellow leucorrhea is common in mycoplasma and chlamydia infections; dark yellow leucorrhea is caused by necrosis or degeneration of diseased tissue, and is common in subuterine fibroids, cervical cancer, uterine body cancer, and fallopian tube cancer.