Discharge Before Period And Its Message To You

This article will answer your questions about what discharge before period is, when your discharge before period becomes abnormal and some suggestions to deal with it.

As we all know, the women’s bodies are constantly changing throughout their lives, especially in their reproductive stage. Besides the major cyclical changes that occur during the monthly female sexual cycle, there are variations that cause confusion and worry sometimes. Especially when it comes to discharge before period as almost every woman has experienced this at least once in their lives.

What is discharge?

Discharge in this article refers to vaginal discharge. Normally it is a clear to white or slightly yellow mucus-like fluid comes from the vagina. Its texture is as sticky as gel, jelly, or the egg white.  You may notice it by looking at your underwear or by feeling your underwear is wetter than usual. However, normal vaginal discharge is never enough to fill a pad or tampon. And it does not cause irritation (such as painful, itching, burning) or smell of the vagina [1].

The medical term for normal vaginal discharge is Leukorrhea. So don’t be confused when a doctor uses this word to talk about your situation. Also, if you are looking for information about this topic on search engines, websites, medical publications or medical textbooks; besides the words “discharge”, “vaginal discharge”, let’s try “leukorrhea” for more information.

Discharge in different stages of a woman’s life

Though it is not always recognized by eyes, the vaginal discharge is a symptom of menstruation and premenstrual syndrome as well. Therefore, it changes according to a menstrual cycle and in different stages of female reproduction. A woman’s cycle life is usually divided into four stages base on the activeness of menstruation and reproduction, which are infant and childhood, puberty and menarche, sexual maturation (reproductive age), and menopause.

Newborn and childhood

Sometimes we can see the normal vaginal discharge in newborn girls. This is a physiological condition commonly seen for three to ten days after birth. In fetus, baby receives female sex hormones from the mother. After parturition, the baby leaves mother’s body, and the hormone levels drop dramatically, causing uterine endometrial desquamation and menstrual-like symptoms, including vaginal discharge. The volume of discharge is low and does not last long, only for a few days.

In contrast, vaginal discharge before puberty is most commonly a sign of infection, seldom localized to the vagina, more often taking the form of a vulvovaginitis: any of the pathogenic bacteria may be responsible. Poor hygiene is usually the main cause, but not the only cause of abnormal vaginal discharge during these years. It could be also reactions to inappropriate soaps, bubble baths, lotion, inappropriate underwear, and foreign body in the vaginal, or even a sign of child sexual abuse.

Puberty and menarche

Puberty is the onset of adult sexual life. Menarche is marked by the beginning of the cycle of menstruation. Puberty and menarche usually begin in about the eighth year of life). During this stage, the normal vaginal discharge may come as a symptom of puberty and menarche, along with her first menstruations.

Menopause

At age forty to forty-fifth years old, the sexual cycle usually becomes irregular, and ovulation often fails to occur. After a few months to a few years, the cycle ceases altogether. The period during which the cycle reduces and the female sex hormones diminish to almost none is called Menopause.

At the time of menopause, the lack of female sex hormones secretion leads to the reduction of vaginal discharge. Besides, this condition also leads to a partial atrophy of the vaginal epithelium, which together with lack of acidity at this time may allow infection to occur easier. A thin watery discharge results which may be blood stained, and the vagina shows a widespread punctate red mottling.

Sexual maturation (reproductive age)

This is the most active stage of female reproductive system. During this time, the normal vaginal discharge (or leukorrhea) may regularly come as a physiological condition. Leukorrhea is produced constantly during the female menstrual cycle. It contains exfoliated epithelial cells, bacteria, and mucus of the cervical and vaginal.

During menstruation, tremendous numbers of leukocytes are released along with the necrotic material and blood. It is probable that some substance liberated by the endometrial necrosis causes this outflow of leukocytes. As a result of these leukocytes and possibly other factors, the female genital tract is highly resistant to infection during menstruation. This is an extreme protective value.

In addition to act as a protective agent, what are other functions of normal vaginal discharge?

Actually, the main purpose of the vaginal discharge is to facilitate the entry of sperm into the female reproductive tract. The endometrial glands, especially those of the cervical region, secrete normal vaginal discharge as a thin, stringy mucus. The mucus strings align themselves along the cervical canal, forming channels to help guide sperm in the proper direction from the vagina into the uterus. Besides, the normal vaginal discharge also keeps vaginal area moist, minimizes the irritations.

Back to the protective function of normal vaginal discharge, besides the presence of leukocytes, there are other mechanisms as well.

Firstly, it is thanks to a bacteria names Doderlein which is contained in the secreted discharge. Doderlein is a bacillus belonging to Lactobacilli group, a genus of Gram-positive that can convert glycogen to lactic acid. This bacillus is thought to break down the glycogen in the vaginal epithelium into lactic acid, provides for the maintenance of lactic acid concentration at 1% in the vagina. This activity makes vagina an acid environment. The average vaginal acidity is from pH 4 to pH 5.5. Most of the pathological microorganism cannot exist and multiply in such acid condition.

Secondly, the outward direction of normal vaginal discharge’s flow also acts effectively as a mechanical barrier, to prevent the passage of harmful organism upwards, from the vulva to the other female genital organs like cervical, uterus, and fallopian tubes. Even if an infectious agent manages to overcome the “acid barrier”, it is still washed away from the genital tract. Simply saying, this flow helps clean your vaginal area from bacteria, fungus, and exfoliated epithelial cells.

So, what factors have influences on the formation of vaginal discharge?

The formation of vaginal discharge is regulated by two ovarian hormones progesterone and estrogens. The ratio of concentration between these two hormones determines the amount and feature of vaginal discharge.

Estrogens stimulate the secretion of mucus glands in cervical and vagina, which increases the amount and vaginal discharge. Under the effect of estrogens, vaginal discharge is clear and watery. Together with the cervical mucus secretion, estrogens cause an enlarged cervical opening, which facilitates sperm penetration.

In additional, estrogens change the vaginal epithelium from a cuboidal into a stratified type, which considerably more resistant to trauma and infection than the prepubertal cuboidal cell epithelium. Vaginal infections in children can often be cured by the administration of estrogen simply because of the resulting increased resistance of the vaginal epithelium and the cervical mucus secretion.

In contrast to estrogens, progesterone inhibits the secretion of mucus from the glands in the cervical lining, resulting in less vaginal discharge. Under the effect of progesterone, vaginal discharge becomes opaque, dense, and lesser in amount. Besides, progesterone makes the cervix orifice close, preventing the penetration of sperm to the upper genital tract of women. Therefore, it is also used to make birth control pills.

However, besides estrogens and progesterone, the vaginal discharge is also often influenced by other factors that are present in the vagina, most commonly are bacteria and fungus, leading to abnormal vaginal discharge. This abnormal is usually noticed before the menstruation, brown discharge before period, yellow discharge before period, pink discharge before period, discharge that looks like cottage cheese or excessive discharge before period (as many women have come to us and asked “Why do I have so much discharge?”. These types of vaginal discharge are going to be discussed in later parts of the article.

What causes period, how long does a period last and how does it influence the vaginal discharge?

As discussed earlier, vaginal discharge is considered as a symptom of menstruation and premenstrual syndrome which regulated by estrogens and progesterone. It is produced constantly during the menstruation, and it is most recognizable around before the period, call discharge before period.

For the comprehensive understanding about discharge before period, this part provides you the overall picture about period and the changes of vaginal discharge during a menstrual cycle.

A menstrual cycle normally lasts for 28 days, but it can be as short as 20 days or as long as 45 days in some women. The number of days is counted between two first bleeding days of two consecutive cycles.

The monthly menstrual cycle in women is the result of the physiological function of female reproductive tract under the control of the female hormonal system.

The female reproductive tract includes the ovaries, fallopian tubes (also called uterine tubes), uterus and vagina. Reproduction begins with the development of ova in the ovaries. In the middle of each monthly sexual cycle, a single ovum is removed from an ovarian follicle into a fallopian tube. This ovum then goes through the fallopian tube into the uterus.

If the ovum has been fertilized by a sperm in the fallopian tube, it will implant in the uterus, where it develops into a fetus, a placenta, and fetal membranes – and eventually into a baby. If the ovum remains unfertilized, the implantation will not happen but the menstruation (or monthly period) will.

The female hormonal system includes five different hormones: GnRH, FSH, LH, estrogen, and progesterone.

• GnRH’s full name is Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone and secreted by the hypothalamus (a brain structure). It is considered to be the highest hormone in the female hormonal system. The presence of GnRH stimulates the pituitary secretion of LH and FSH.
• FSH is Follicle Stimulating Hormone and LH is Luteinizing Hormone, both of which are secreted by the anterior pituitary, in response to the release of GnRH from the hypothalamus. These hormones help transmit signal from the brain to the female reproductive tract.
• Estrogen and Progesterone are two hormones secreted by the ovaries (that’s why they are also called ovarian hormones) under the influence of FSH and LH. These hormones have direct effect on the female reproductive tract and cause menstrual cycle.

In a menstrual cycle, FSH and LH from the anterior pituitary gland cause about 8 to 12 new follicles to begin to grow in the ovaries. One of these follicles finally becomes “mature” and ovulates on the 14th day of the twenty-eight-day menstrual cycle. If the periodicity of the cycle is 40 days, ovulation usually occurs on the 26th day. If the regular menstrual cycle lasts 21 days, ovulation usually occurs on the 7th day.

After ovulation, the secretory cells of the ovulating follicle develop into a corpus luteum that secretes large quantities of both the major female hormones, progesterone, and estrogen. After another two weeks, the corpus luteum degenerates, whereupon the ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone decrease greatly and menstruation begins. A new ovarian cycle then follows.

If the ovulation doesn’t happen, there is only the rising of estrogen in the first half of menstrual cycle, then the sudden drop in estrogen is sufficient to cause period.

If the ovulation happens but the ovum remains unfertilized, then the sudden drops of both estrogen and progesterone are necessary to lead to period.

About mechanisms of menstruation, the sudden drop in progesterone only does not lead to period. Progesterone alone does not promote the proliferation of uterine endometrium (the inner lining of uterine) so that when it drops off, it does not lead to uterine endometrium desquamation as well.

The uterine endometrium desquamation does not happen evenly between different areas of the uterus. At a time, this area might have desquamated already while other area is being desquamating or haven’t desquamated yet. Therefore, the period normally takes three to five days. If all endometrial areas of the uterus desquamated quickly at the same time, the period would last for only a few hours.

How does the vaginal discharge change during the menstrual cycle?

As listed above, normal vaginal discharge is produced under the regulation of two ovarian hormones estrogens and progesterone. There are four basic stages of the production [4]:

• Dry days normally happen three to five days right after the period ends. The mucous glands almost produce none of the vaginal discharge at this time. That’s why it also called “Rest days of mucous glands”. Reason for this condition is because of the sudden drop of estrogens level in blood. It is reasonable as the main function of vaginal discharge is to facilitate the entry of sperm into the female reproductive tract. Now that the estrogens drop to low level, which means the ovum remains unfertilized after the ovulation or there is no sperm. That’s why there is no need for the mucous glands to secrete vaginal discharge.
• Clear sticky discharge comes after dry days and lasts for two to three days. This stage corresponds to the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, when the ovum is developing. The explanation for this condition is that the estrogen level is consistently rising at this stage, while the progesterone level has not increased yet. Therefore, the vaginal discharge just keeps being secreted more and more under the dominant effect of estrogens.
• Profuse watery discharge usually occurs one to two days right before the ovulation day as the estrogen level reaches its peak and the progesterone still has not increased. During this time you may have excessive discharge, up to thirty times of your daily discharge. The discharge is thin and slippery, resembling the egg white. It is extremely helpful for sperm to travel to the mature ovum.
• White jelly-like discharge appears on the ovulation day and lasts until the period. Since the estrogen level falls at ovulation while progesterone starts rising to its peak, the most dominant hormone in the second half of the menstrual cycle belongs to progesterone. The discharge becomes more opaque, lesser in amount and denser. This is also the stage of discharge before period.

Common types of discharge before period

This part gives you information on several common types of vaginal discharge before period that you may encounter, when it is normal as a physiological condition, when it is abnormal and needs more attention from you.

White discharge before period

Most of the time, this type of discharge is perfectly normal. As earlier explanation, it is the normal vaginal discharge, also called Leukorrhea that is secreted by mucus glands in cervical and vagina during the menstrual cycle, including before period.

The discharge before period could be clear, watery or mucus. It depends on the ratio between the estrogen and progesterone level in blood. Whether it is clear discharge before period, watery discharge before period or mucus discharge before period, as long as it is odorless and does not cause any irritation such as painful, itching, burning sensation, your body is just doing its job to keep your cervix and vagina clean and healthy.

However, can white discharge before period be pathological?

Yes, it can. If the discharge looks the same as it always does but acquires bad smell and causes discomfort in the vaginal area, it probably refers to a vaginal infection.

If the white discharge before period is curdy with smell of acid, it could be due to a fungal infection, most often is Candida Albicans, a fungus species that usually parasitizes in mouth, intestinal tract and genital tract of human.

If the white discharge before period is foamy with burning sensation, it could blame for Trichomonas Vaginitis, a protozoan parasite well-known as the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the world.

If the white discharge before period is extremely profuse and watery, there are various causes for this situation, in which the oncological pathology and pregnancy are two conditions that need to be identified first because the sooner you find out, the sooner you can access the proper care.

In conclusion, white discharge before period is normal in most cases. However, it may become abnormal in some cases. If you notice any changes in smell, sensation or texture, note down the day it appears in your menstrual cycle, the number of days it lasts, its frequency to consult a gynecologist for further examinations and advisers.

Yellow discharge before period

Your discharge before period may also look yellow sometimes. The discharge color varies from light yellow to neon green.

If it is clear, odorless and not itchy, the yellow discharge before period is just a normal reflection of your diet or any supplements you are taking. What you eat could also affect the color of your discharge. For example, some women say that their discharge changes its color whenever they take new vitamins or eat several certain foods.

Otherwise, the yellow discharge before period may also reflect an infection in the vagina, usually fungal infection or bacterial vaginosis. Trichomonas, Chlamydia and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are three common causes. These conditions are known as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Common symptoms of this STD include inflammation, pain, and itching.

Typically, Trichomonas produces a yellow to green, watery and slightly frothy discharge with foul odor, but the yellow color may be so light that the discharge appears white. The vagina may look inflamed with widespread discrete red spots, giving the surface a strawberry-like appearance.

Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are two other common STDs. In this case, the discharge before period is usually green, yellow or cloudy. Early symptom includes painful urination and painful sexual intercourse. However, some people may never develop noticeable symptoms.

All three of these STDs are usually well treated with a course of antibiotics under the supervision of doctor.

Pink discharge before period

Pink discharge before period is often a sign of the beginning of your menstruation. But it can also be a sign of pathological condition. The range of pink discharge varies from very light blush to the deep pink of a sunset.

Normal vaginal discharge is usually almost transparent as it mainly contains exfoliated epithelial cells, bacteria and mucus of the healthy cervical and vaginal. Blood sometimes is line up with these components, makes the vaginal discharge pink. This pink color in the vaginal discharge of healthy women can be due to physiological conditions which may cause slight bleeding on the first stage, such as ovulation, implantation, early pregnancy and hormonal contraceptives.

Normal pink discharge before period does not contain any other strange components, apart from blood and it does not cause any irritation sensations nor smell. Pathological pink discharge is not related to the cycle and is accompanied by unusual symptoms. It can be linked to micro traumas during sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted diseases, pre-cancer of the uterine cervix, endometriosis (the islet proliferation of endometrial lining out of the uterine cavity), and blood coagulation failure which may associate with hormonal contraceptives. These conditions need further examination and consultation from gynecologist.

Brown discharge before period

Firstly, it should be clarified that the brown color of discharge shows that there’s presence of blood. The brown color is old blood existing in female genital tract. Because of that, brown discharge before period is also called bloody discharge before period.

The range of color may change from red cherry to dark brown, depends on which part of female genital tract does the blood come from. Mostly, brown is the typical color of the blood which has passed a long way from the ovaries, through the uterine cavity, uterine cervix to the vagina, while the interruption of vaginal small blood vessels commonly leads to the forming of bloody scarlet drops, called spotting. Spotting before period is brown discharge before period in the form of bloody scarlet drops.

What does spotting mean and how long does spotting last?

Spotting is any light vaginal bleeding, occurs at any time of female monthly cycle, except for the period days. Most of the time, spotting before period is normal due to the hormonal changes. There are several common causes of spotting before period, such as the ovulation, implantation of the embryo (known as “implantation bleeding”), post-intercourse bleeding, hormonal imbalance, contraception, medication side effects, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, polycystic ovarian syndrome (POS), ongoing stress [3].

Spotting can occur from a few days to a week before the period. Because of the timing, many women assume the spotting as a very light and early period and don’t recognize their condition. It is very easy to misunderstanding between spotting and a period. The quantity of blood loss is the primary difference between spotting and having a period.

For spotting, there is less bleeding and it usually appears as brown discharge rather than a blood flow. There should not be so much blood that needs to use a tampon or a pad to absorb it. If you are bleeding so much that you need to use pads or tampons, it is unlikely to be spotting but having a period. Sometimes, spotting is only noticed as brown blood or fresh pink staining on the toilet paper or underwear.

Spotting does not increase in volume and does not include the passing of clots. Usually, there is no associated pain with spotting, unlike a period when cramping before period and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are very common. A period, however, is predictable, usually it occurs for three to five days, sometimes involves clots and cramps, increases in volume before it reduces and stops altogether, unlike spotting which occurs sporadically and irregularly.

For further information about period and cramps before period, please follow the article: cramps-before-period.

If you are experiencing a lot of spotting, keep a spotting diary as this can help you keep track of dates, symptoms and history to consult with your doctor. Remember not to ignore spotting. If you find anything abnormal, check with your doctor to have some examinations and tests for reassurance is very important.

Excessive Discharge

Most of the time, excessive white discharge before period is normal. Most common causes lead to heavier discharge before period include:

Ovulation

As mentioned earlier, estrogen stimulates the secretion of mucus glands in cervical and vagina, which increases the amount and vaginal discharge. In a menstrual cycle, there are two peaks of estrogen level; one is the day before the ovulation day when the level of progesterone is just about to rise, the other day comes after that around one week. This explains why the vaginal discharge becomes heavier during the ovulation.

Implantation

It is also reasonable to have excessive discharge in the early stage of pregnancy. During this time, vagina tends to secrete more mucus to keep the cervix closed, moist, clean and healthy for the fetus to growth safety in the uterine cavity.

Sexual intercourse

As mentioned earlier, the main purpose of the vaginal discharge is to facilitate the entry of sperm in female reproductive tract, also acts as a natural lubricant for sexual intercourse. The hormones that make you aroused are the same ones that create a steady secretion of discharge, lead to the increased discharge before period.

Ongoing stress

Being under a lot of stress and pressure can also lead to excessive discharge as well. Stress can break the normal hormonal balance, raises the amount of vaginal discharge. The excessive discharge caused by stress is not serious, but it should be treated by lifestyle adjustment or mental therapies to prevent future health issues.

The table below is a summary of common types of discharge and its causes.

Does pregnancy influence your discharge? What does early pregnancy discharge look like and feel like?

Thick or creamy white vaginal discharge in early pregnancy, usually around the time of a missed menstrual period is a typical early pregnancy symptom. Early pregnancy discharge before missed period is easily noticed due to its higher volume than usual, and it keeps increasing through pregnancy stages. The discharge during pregnancy is caused by the increase of estrogen level. Estrogen causes the blood to flow to the pelvic area more, which increases the secretion of mucus glands in cervical and vagina [5].

Thick creamy white discharge is usually normal while red, brown or green, yellow discharge, especially with bad odor is usually a sign of health problems. During the pregnancy, the feature of the discharge may stay the same while the volume keeps rising. However, not every woman experiences the early pregnancy discharge so not seeing the creamy white discharge does not mean that you are not pregnant. The most accurate way to have the conclusion is pregnancy test.

Some early pregnancy discharge may have a slightly fishy odor that may cause concerns for the mother. If the discharge has fishy or foul-smelling, or abnormal colors, the best way is to talk to your obstetric and take some examination for the correct conclusion. Do not take any medication without the supervision of a doctor as it may affect not only the mother but also the fetus.

A pregnant woman should not use any wipes or vaginal washes to clean the vagina as these products often contain perfume. These substances can irritate the vulvar skin and change the pH of the vaginal area, which stimulates infectious factors to attack the vagina.

How to deal with discharge before period?

Discharge before period can be totally normal. However, call a doctor if you think you may have a vaginal infection, burning and swelling in the vaginal area or burning when you urinate, your discharge is like cottage cheese or bloody, or your discharge has abnormal color or smell. The doctor will help you look at the symptoms and advise proper treatment for you.

Besides, you can use a washcloth or ice pack as a cold compress to relieve itching or swelling around the vulva. Remember to stop the sexual activity, or make sure your partner wearing a condom during your treatment.

Home remedies for discharge before period

Probiotic supplements and yogurt

The vagina is a balanced ecosystem among bacteria and yeast. As explain earlier, the dominant Lactobacilli strains play a major role in maintaining the pH from 4 to 5.5 for vaginal area which is too acidic for harmful microorganisms to survive. However, the balance of this ecosystem may be broken by many factors, including antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills lead to many vaginal problems, including the abnormal discharge.

The bacteria-yeast balance of the body is well-restored by taking probiotics. Probiotics can be a good use in maintaining urogenital health. Oral and vaginal probiotics administration contain Lactobacilli help bring your digestive tract and vaginal flora back to normal. This may help in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Some probiotics are found to be effective against Candida Albicans, the most common infective fungi in vagina, according to an article published on the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Probiotics are considered safe. However, if you are considering a probiotic supplement, choose the product in which ingredients are clearly marked on the label and familiar to you. There’s no way to guarantee the safety of unidentified mixtures.

Yogurt is considered as a probiotic for good bacteria it contains in the composition, such as Lactobacillus. Many women add yogurt to their diet to help treat bacterial vaginosis. In which Plain Greek yogurt is one of top home remedies to help bring bacteria-yeast balance back to your body. The yogurt should not contain sugar as it supports the development of fungus. Some women also insert yogurt into vagina as a topical treatment, a folk remedy for which medical science offers limited support [6].

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Banana

Banana is another good home remedy for white discharge and vaginal discomfort. It contains calcium, potassium, and vitamin that helps relieve digestive discomforts that could be accompanying the problem. Eat one to two overripe bananas in the morning to help improve the vaginal discharge. You can eat bananas with milk or banana shake or banana juice. Follow the remedy daily to see the improvement.

Vitamin C and citrus fruits

Vitamin, also called ascorbic acid, is a great fuel to boost up the immune system. It helps the body to fight against bad bacteria and fungi grow in the vagina. You can find vitamin C in oral supplements or fruits. Vitamin C has antimicrobial components when it is packaged in tablet form.

Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemon, sweet lime, grapes… are great sources of vitamin C. Also, eating citrus fruits or drinking its juices can help get rid of vaginal odor. Citrus fruit juice or detox water also help maintain the body’s pH balance and prevent microbial infection and itching in the vagina. You also need to take the remedy daily to see the improvement.

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Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular home remedy to treat yeast infection. It helps restore the body’s natural pH balance. Besides, its antifungal and antimicrobial properties help to control bad odors and secretions, which reduces vaginal odor.

What you need is to add a half cup of apple cider vinegar to a warm bathtub, then soak for 20 minutes. Acetic acid in the vinegar component will help get rid of harmful microorganisms [2].

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Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is one of great essential oil to get rid of fungi and bacteria. Instead of scented wipes and vaginal deodorants which can disrupt the vagina’s pH balance and induce infection and foul odor, natural tea tree oil diluted in water is a better option for vaginal wash. Mix three to four drops of tea tree oil in water and use this to rinse the vaginal area. You can use it daily or several times a week. Remember to always do a test patch on your forearm as tea tree oil might not suit everybody [2].

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Questions and answers

Is it normal to have discharge while pregnant?

It is normal to have discharge while pregnant due to the rising level of estrogen during pregnancy. Estrogen increases blood flow to the pelvic area, which increases the secretion of mucus glands in cervical and vagina.

Vaginal discharge like thick milky white is usually normal while red, brown or green, yellow discharge, especially if it’s foul smelling is usually a sign of health problems

How much discharge is normal during pregnancy?

During the pregnancy, the volume of vaginal discharge keeps increasing under the influence of estrogen level. However, the amount of discharge never reaches the volume level of period.

If you are experiencing excessive discharge during pregnancy, do not hesitate to arrange an appointment with an obstetric to have accurate answers for your condition, as well as proper treatments.

Does spotting mean you are pregnant or can spotting be a sign of pregnancy?

Spotting or brown discharge before period may be a sign of implantation in early pregnancy. If your period is late and you see spotting, it’s a good idea to take the home pregnancy test to have the correct conclusion.

Conclusions

You may not always think of it this way, but discharge before period is pretty amazing. Normal vaginal discharge keeps the vagina clean, protect it from infection and provides lubrication. It is also important to keep in mind that a range of shades and amounts of vaginal discharge is considered normal and varies from person to person. That’s why the vaginal discharge is considered as a reflection of your health and need your attention regularly. If your discharge before period changes significantly in color, consistency, amount or smell, it’s time to arrange an appointment with a gynecologist.

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