Discharge in women: symptoms and causes

Discharge in women has a different nature and meaning. Many are very mistaken, trying to get rid of them with the help of various hygiene products. If you began to notice vaginal discharge, it is best not to delay a trip to the doctor. Since only a gynecologist can tell you everything about the causes of their appearance and the safety of the occurrence. The causes of discharge in women can be very diverse, and they also manifest themselves in different ways. In the article we will consider all possible selections and try to determine how safe one or another manifestation is.

What is considered the norm?

There are a number of secretions in the intimate zone in women that are absolutely safe for her health:

1. Transparent secretions in the form of mucus that appear before ovulation and can even be plentiful.
2. The first half of the menstrual cycle can be accompanied by various profuse discharge, which stops in a few days.
3. In the second half of the cycle, creamy discharge may also appear, but in very small quantities.
4. Liquid discharge, which is practically colorless, can occur within a few hours after sexual intercourse.
5. Bloody streaks may also appear before ovulation, which is considered the norm.
6. If a woman recently started taking hormonal contraceptives, then in the first weeks, slight brown discharge may appear.
7. Many women during pregnancy appear white formations that are odorless and do not cause her almost no discomfort.

As you can see, a lot in this matter depends on the menstrual cycle. And the discharge can change its color, profusion, texture and much more. However, all these changes are considered the norm for the formed female body. It should be wary if these manifestations began to smell unpleasant and cause certain inconvenience.

There are several causes of abnormal discharge in women:

1. The resulting pregnancy.
2. Already transferred recently childbirth.
3. Menopause in a young woman.
4. Some drugs can cause such side effects.
5. Various diseases and inflammations in the genitals.
6. Venereal diseases.

Transparent highlight

The most harmless secretions are considered transparent. Since often these are just dead cells of the vagina, lactic acid bacteria and other things that are normally found in the female body. They can appear at any time during the menstrual cycle or before ovulation. Usually they do not have any smell, but sometimes a slightly sour smell may appear upon the release of lactic acid bacteria, which is considered normal.

There are several periods in a woman's life when transparent discharge can have a different nature:

• At the age of 10 years and older, when a girl begins active puberty. Such discharge is a normal reaction of the body to the fact that its reproductive functions will soon begin to work.
• 1-2 days before the onset of ovulation, such manifestations can be very plentiful, but pass almost immediately.
• In the first half of the menstrual cycle, thick and transparent discharge may appear.
• In the second half they become less abundant and very dense.

However, noticing any kind of manifestations, you need to look at them. Because even transparent discharge can be a signal of a disease or an infected infection. You need to go to the doctor if, in addition to mucus, you begin to notice an unpleasant odor and itching in the perineum. And also a woman may be accompanied by pain during or at the end of sexual intercourse.

So a variety of diseases can manifest themselves, but among them there are four most common diseases: endometritis, cervical disease, salpingoophoritis, dysbiosis or bacterial vaginosis.

Green highlight

The color of the discharge in women can change and acquire a variety of shades. It all depends on the type of infection that has got into her body. Green discharge is a clear pathology. Most likely, an infection got into the body or an active inflammatory process began there. At this time, leukocytes enter the fight against the disease, which in large quantities fall into the mucous secret and give such a result.

Green and yellow discharge in women has several reasons, which are worth mentioning:

• Bacterial vaginosis is a fairly common disease that can be caused by infection during sexual intercourse, and can be triggered by severe stress or pregnancy. May accompany itching in the intimate area.
• Trichomoniasis is one of the most dangerous sexually transmitted diseases. And this is due to difficulties in diagnosis, and green discharge is almost its only symptom. But the exact diagnosis can only be made after a special test.
• Thrush is rare, but in some cases cheesy discharge of this color may appear.
• Pregnancy - it is considered normal if such discharge is observed at the beginning of pregnancy. This is a peculiar reaction of the body to all those changes that occur there. However, it is better not to postpone the trip to the doctor, since such manifestations can become a sign of previously hidden infections.
• Gonorrhea - is included in the list of especially dangerous diseases and requires an immediate visit to a specialist.
• The inflammatory process - if you start inflammation, then the white discharge in women, with whom everything starts, can acquire shades of yellow and even green.

As you can see, the green color is a signal that a woman needs a gynecological examination. Moreover, if some infections are not so dangerous, then serious diseases from the field of venereology are manifested in a similar way.

Yellow discharge

In some cases, yellow discharge may be the norm, but you need to be able to distinguish between normal indicators and those that should cause alarm. Yellow and white discharge in odorless women are normal. And also they should be watery and not contain any clots, and their amount is equal to one teaspoon per day.

But yellow discharge with a smell in women is most often a signal of health problems. Such diseases manifest themselves in such a way: adnexitis, gonorrhea, vaginitis, salpingitis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, as well as recent births can have such consequences.

White discharge

As we have already said, in most cases of this color, the discharge is considered the norm. However, some of the above diseases and infections begin that way, and only then they develop and acquire new shades of their manifestations. But, as it turned out, many other things can affect the appearance of such a symptom, namely:

1. Such a symptom can be caused by personal hygiene products that were chosen incorrectly.
2. Hormonal drugs that a girl takes for a long time.
3. Douching, which can wash out the vaginal flora.
4. A woman who neglects personal hygiene has these symptoms.
5. When leading a sedentary lifestyle, white discharge in women can also appear.

If they do not bother you at all, there is no smell and any other symptoms, then do not worry. But if their number is too large, and even accompanied by other manifestations, then this is a signal that you need to immediately go to a specialist.

Bloody discharge

The most dangerous type of discharge from a woman's vagina is considered bloody. If a girl noticed this, then you need to observe their abundance, color and other accompanying symptoms. However, in any case, they do not carry anything good in themselves. Most often, the following diseases manifest themselves in this way: fibroma, endometritis, cervical erosion, cancer, various tumors, sarcoma and adenomyosis.

As you can see, all the aforementioned diseases do not carry anything good in themselves and are often dangerous not only for health but also for the life of a woman. However, it is not always necessary to panic in the presence of bloody discharge. There are other reasons for their appearance:

• So polyps and small ulcers that can appear on the genitals manifest themselves.
• Various infections that could get during intercourse.
• In women who are at an age close to menopause, after intercourse, the vaginal mucosa can dry out, which causes a similar symptom.
• Often blood is released after a recent abortion.
• Hormonal contraceptives that were incorrectly selected have such a side effect.
• With menopause at different times, such manifestations may appear. This is considered normal and will soon pass.

But to ignore such allocations is strictly prohibited. At the first detection, you need to contact a gynecologist who will help establish the cause and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.

Black highlight

Black discharge, rather, can be attributed to bloody. It's just that they are thicker and their color is too dark. In some periods, even they may be normal, however, examination by a gynecologist is mandatory. There are a number of reasons why they appear, and it is worth saying about them:

1. Serious disorders in the endocrine system or metabolism.
2. If a woman abruptly gained or, conversely, lost weight.
3. If in the girl’s body for some time some inflammatory processes or infectious ones have occurred.
4. In women who have recently experienced chemotherapy.
5. Frequent and severe stress.
6. Hormonal malfunctions, which can have a different nature.
7. Endometriosis
8. A disease such as endometrial hyperplasia.
9. If a woman took hormonal contraceptives for a long time, which were chosen incorrectly, or she abruptly stopped taking them.
10. The presence of polyps on the genitals of the girl.
11. Systemic diseases of the body that do not even concern the field of gynecology.

Discharge with smell

We have already said that normal discharge has practically no color and should be scarce. However, another distinctive feature is the smell. Normally, it should be completely absent. But odorless discharge in women is cause for concern.

Inflammation, which was caused by the ingestion of foreign microorganisms, strongly affects not only the amount of mucus, but also causes an unpleasant odor. And it can also have such a symptom of a hormonal imbalance or metabolism. Moreover, both of these reasons can have a very different nature of origin.

If a woman violates the rules of personal hygiene, not only discharge may appear, but also their unpleasant smell. And also this is possible during pregnancy or due to a long course of antibiotic treatment. All diseases that were listed in the previous paragraphs are accompanied by an unpleasant odor. As well as cancer or chemotherapy already undergone.

These are the most common reasons, but the list is far from complete. A trip to the doctor is not recommended. The sooner you see a doctor, the easier it is to get rid of the cause of this symptom.

Diagnosis and treatment

The reason for the discharge can be very different. That is why during a visit to the gynecologist you should talk about all the manifestations, about your chronic and acute diseases, about the drugs you take. To establish an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a complete diagnosis, which includes passing a large number of tests that can establish the nature of itching, discharge in women in the intimate area.

• First of all, you need to pass cytology.
• A doctor, when examined on a gynecological chair, takes a smear for STDs.
• Depending on which discharge you observed, a blood test is taken.
• A cultural study is underway.
• PCR analysis.
• The acidic environment of the vagina is being studied.
• After taking all these analyzes, their mycological study is carried out .

Based on the results of these analyzes, an accurate diagnosis can be made. Some diseases require additional research, which is prescribed by a specialist, and only one or two tests are enough to determine individual infections. Treatment can only begin after the doctor is sure that the diagnosis is correct. Each disease should have its own set of drugs that will quickly save you from the problem.

Discharge during and after pregnancy

Pregnancy is a special period in the life of every woman. During this period, the diagnosis can only be established by a specialist. Any self-medication should be ruled out. There are several reasons why a woman develops discharge during pregnancy:

1. Starting from the 37th week, the doctor can conduct a routine examination of the woman in the gynecological chair, after which the patient may have brown discharge. This is considered the norm, because during this period the fetus is considered fully ripe and the uterus prepares for childbirth.
2. When the cork comes off, mucous discharge may appear on the woman’s underwear, sometimes with small streaks of blood. This is considered the norm only in the later stages, when the child is already ready to be born. In other cases, you should immediately consult a doctor.
3. Thrush. It is accompanied by itching and discharge in women (white with a curdled consistency). The treatment of thrush during this period should be dealt with, since during childbirth it can be transmitted to the baby.
4. Bloody manifestations in large quantities signal the detachment of the placenta, which is very dangerous at any time.
5. In the period before childbirth, amniotic fluid can flow off, which is quite dangerous and can not pass without specialist supervision.
6. Yellow and green discharge shows fetal hypoxia, as well as possible infections and sexually transmitted diseases that require immediate treatment.

Any new symptoms in pregnant women should be checked by a gynecologist. A timely visit to the hospital can save both mom and child.

Discharge after an abortion

The norm is considered various not too abundant discharge in women after medical abortion. So the drug manifests itself, which provoked rejection of the fetus. But if you have had a surgical abortion and you observe any manifestations after it, then this may be a signal that you had any infection.

In the first ten days after any abortion on linen, brown discharge can be observed, which is considered to be the norm. However, if they are accompanied by pain, and especially after or during intercourse, then most likely these are polyps.

The result of an abortion can be endometriosis and endometritis. The second is accompanied by pain in the period before the onset of menstruation. If this does not cause any particular inconvenience, then you can remain calm. Otherwise, consult a specialist, since endometritis can quickly develop into endometriosis.

During a surgical abortion, various bacteria can enter the vagina that cause inflammation of the mucosa, and yellow and green secretions appear from there. And it is not excluded infection with various sexually transmitted diseases, the treatment of which is strictly prohibited to postpone.

In the article, we examined almost all types of discharge in women. Based on this, it can be concluded that copious discharge with itching and smell in women is not the norm. And if there is a smell without discharge in women, then this is most likely a usual disregard for the rules of personal hygiene. Be attentive to your health and do not postpone going to the doctor at the first sign of the above diseases.