Every girl who is interested in maintaining her female health has often worried about vaginal discharge. Genital secretion is often a natural process, but it happens that a change in the normal color and smell of mucus indicates serious pathological processes or diseases.
Features of the female body
What does mucous discharge in women mean ?! Colorless are a biological fluid that is secreted by the weaker sex. Often, such manifestations indicate the state of women's health. Show the functional features of the ovaries. They stand out from the cervix, which has special glands.
Mucous discharge in women consists of:
- A moisturizing fluid that helps lubricate the walls of the vagina.
- Useful and negative microorganisms and fungi that inhabit the flora.
- Particles of dead cells that exit the vagina and uterus.
- Transudate from the lymphatic and circulatory systems.
The sweat and sebaceous glands located nearby in the area of the urethra can also be a component. Remember that mucous discharge without the presence of an unpleasant odor and having a transparent color indicates the correct functioning of the pelvic organs.
Characteristics of secretions
Depending on the characteristics, there are completely different causes of occurrence. Mucous discharge in women, like snot, can change the frequency and nature. Such changes depend on many factors, it can be stress, a change in climatic conditions associated with moving, and so on. But often the important role in this process is played by the age, health status and hormonal background of the girl.
The most common factors are:
- Excitement.
- Climax approach.
- Pregnancy.
- Menstruation.
- Changes in the body before or after the birth of a baby.
- Breast-feeding.
- Change of sexual partner.
- The use of hormonal and birth control drugs.
Female doctors concluded that the norm is discharge, not exceeding a volume of 4 ml per day. The fluid should be transparent in color, odorless, with no blood streaks and discomfort in the vagina. This condition indicates the norm, except for the inconvenience of using daily pads.
When the norm
Mucous discharge, like snot, is often the norm, but only if they correspond to the following indicators:
- observed for several days or hours;
- are not regular in nature;
- stretch between the fingers;
- there are no inclusions of lumps, blood and pus;
- there is no discomfort in the form of itching, burning and other unpleasant sensations;
- daily volume does not exceed more than 4-5 ml;
- no odor or slightly sour;
- may leave a yellow tint on underwear or daily panty;
- transparent consistency.
In all other cases, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist to identify problems at an early stage. Do not be scared if the fluid began to resemble white mucous discharge, often a change in color in this direction refers to the norm. This is due to the age and hormonal background of a woman.
Possible reasons
Most often, a variety of factors affecting the mucous discharge in women, the reasons with which they are most often associated are harmless:
- The beginning of puberty. After which the ovaries begin to work actively.
- Ovulation. Most often, the onset is in the middle of the menstrual cycle.
- Climax
- In preparing the woman’s body for the upcoming birth.
- Mucous discharge during pregnancy.
- Sexual arousal before sexual intercourse.
- Breast-feeding.
- Gel response for intimate hygiene.
Menstrual cycle
Vaginal discharge of a mucous nature, which are normal, most often appears in the middle of the menstrual cycle. This process is called ovulation. This is due to the release of the egg. Before ovulation, a woman may be disturbed by moderate-intensity pain in the abdomen, in addition, the breast may swell.
Each such process has its own reasons. For example, a stretching consistency of secretions contributes to the preservation of sperm at conception. If the discharge occurs after menstruation and has mucous discharge with blood streaks, this indicates the removal of the remaining endometrium in the uterus.
Causes of copious discharge
Specialists in the field of medicine consider mucous discharge, the reasons for which lie in both normal and pathological processes. If a woman has a pathological condition, leucorrhoea can become very plentiful with the presence of an unpleasant color and a change in color. Most often, adverse discharge is compared with a fluid released from the respiratory system with a cold or SARS.
Pathology
If mucous secretions are not accompanied by discomfort, a burning sensation and itching, and also there are no traces of pus and blood, then they are a physiological norm. The reason for the unscheduled appeal to the gynecologist are:
- Discomfort and pain during intercourse.
- Redness, rash on the external genitalia or mucous membrane.
- General increase in body temperature.
- Menstrual irregularities.
- Cutting and aching pain in the perineum.
- Rapid urination and concomitant pain there.
- Pain in the lumbar region.
If at least one of the above items occurs, a woman should immediately consult a doctor. Only on the basis of analyzes can he make the correct diagnosis and choose an individual treatment tactic. If an infectious process is detected, antibiotics will most likely be prescribed. If problems in the pelvic area occurred due to a virus, then appropriate medications will be prescribed.
When you need to urgently see a doctor
Yellow discharge is most often associated with infections, although inflammatory processes are often the cause. Also, this shade medical workers in the field of women's health are related to the initial reaction to taking hormonal drugs.
Yellow-green and gray mucus has its own characteristic secretion in the following cases:
- A large number of mucous secretions with a predominant fishy odor often indicates gardnerellosis.
- An abundant amount of yellow and green discharge with the presence of pus characterizes the disease trichomoniasis.
- Mucopurulent discharge with or without an unpleasant odor most often indicates chlamydia.
- Watery fluid with the presence of vesicles on the genitals confirms the presence of genital herpes.
- Transparent mucus with a very unpleasant and pungent odor most often indicates ureaplasmosis.
In addition to the above, green discharge is associated with vaginitis, an increased number of leukocytes in the smear (inflammatory process), vaginal dysbiosis, cervical erosion and gonorrhea.
To maintain women's health, it is necessary to constantly maintain hygiene, regularly visit a gynecologist and responsibly approach treatment if it is prescribed by a doctor. And remember that the presence of pathological secretions adversely affects the microflora and may subsequently adversely affect the conception of the child.
Pregnancy and childbirth
When a woman is in position, the work of her body is configured to fully ensure optimal conditions for the development of the fetus. In this regard, complex hormonal restructuring is launched. One of the consequences is mucous discharge, which can continue to accompany the fair sex after the birth of the baby.
After the fertilized egg "joins" to the uterine wall, the process begins to be accompanied by thick mucous discharge without color. They look like raw egg white. An expectant mother can accompany such discharge during the first 3 months of pregnancy.
After that, they form a mucous plug, which prevents infection and bacteria from entering the uterine cavity, where the baby develops. Before birth, the mucus becomes yellowish and significantly increases in volume.
The exit of the cork before the onset of labor can occur both fully and partially. If a woman noticed an unpleasant odor or a characteristic color change, then she should certainly consult a doctor to take the necessary tests. Moreover, snot-like discharge with an admixture of blood may indicate premature detachment of the placenta, and this situation threatens the health and life of both the expectant mother and the baby.
Intimate relationship
During sexual arousal, a large amount of watery fluid is released from a woman's vagina. This feature is a natural process and provides comfort during intercourse. After the end of sex, vaginal discharge also produces a clear and thick consistency if it was not protected by a contraceptive. When using a condom, you can notice not very abundant discharge of a white and yellowish tint.
Climax
Before the onset of menopause, women may notice dryness in the vagina. This is due to the fact that the hormonal background is disturbed, and with it there is a change in the nature and amount of mucous secretions. Unfortunately, this leads to the fact that the fair sex begin to feel discomfort, and sometimes pain.
The sheath of the vagina undergoes a natural process of thinning, becomes dry and practically does not produce natural lubrication. If the menopause on the contrary began to be accompanied by abundant secretions, then this is also a cause for concern and an immediate visit to a gynecologist.
Change of sexual partner
Often there are situations when a woman changes her sexual partner, and for this reason, the fluid secreted by the vagina is replaced by a thick and viscous one, which begins to be produced in large quantities. This is due to the settlement of a new microflora in the cervical region, which occurs after intercourse with a new man.
The microflora of a new sexual partner enters the vagina, and the process of getting used to unfamiliar fungi, bacteria and microorganisms is carried out. Sometimes situations occur when a woman’s body rejects a new microflora, and the process of active production of mucus begins with a change in external properties and characteristics. After some time, getting used to a new man. However, do not lose sight of the fact that a frequent change of sexual partners sooner or later can lead not only to gynecological diseases, but also to infertility.
Prevention
In order for the female microflora not to experience negative changes, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures. First of all, you need to regularly take care of genital hygiene. Use gels for intimate hygiene, which include extracts from medicinal plants, components that promote moisture, have an optimal level of PH and contain lactic acid.
Do not panic ahead of time. After all, transparent discharge from the vagina, which does not have a smell, is normal and only indicates that women's health is in perfect order. It is necessary to monitor changes in mucus, if an unpleasant odor, shade or consistency appears, you should immediately consult a doctor. Do not risk your health, because insignificant at first glance changes can become a harbinger of a serious disease.