Vaginal discharge can sometimes surprise a woman, whether by its presence, quantity, or even its texture and color. However, its presence is as natural as, for example, saliva. Regularly tracking your discharge can provide useful information about your body, menstrual cycle, and fertile period.
What exactly is vaginal discharge?
Vaginal discharge is a collective term for any fluid (excluding menstruation) that leaves the vagina. Its main purpose is to remove old cells from the vagina, provide vaginal lubrication, protect vaginal tissues from infection and irritation, and maintain the health of reproductive organs. It also plays a role in intimate life.
Its quantity can vary throughout the month, as can its texture and color. These changes are mainly influenced by your reproductive hormones that regulate menstruation, libido, and sexual activity, but vaginal discharge also changes throughout life, such as after childbirth or during menopause. (1)
Cervical fluid
One type of vaginal discharge is cervical mucus. It originates from glands in and around the cervix.
Its main functions are:
- To help transport sperm to the egg during the fertile period
- To provide a protective barrier after ovulation, to prevent anything from entering the uterus
Cervical fluid, its quantity, and consistency change the most during the menstrual cycle with fluctuating hormones: as estrogen levels rise before ovulation, cervical fluid thins. This facilitates sperm movement through the cervix. With increasing progesterone levels during the luteal phase, the consistency becomes thicker. (2)
By tracking your cycle and regularly recording cervical fluid, you can better understand these patterns and discover what is normal for you.
Tracking cervical mucus to determine fertility
Cervical mucus and its variability during the cycle can tell you a lot about what phase of the cycle you are in and whether the fertile window, when the chance of pregnancy is higher, is approaching. Therefore, tracking cervical mucus is one of the three main pillars of the symptothermal method. (4)
Do you want to learn how cervical mucus changes during the cycle and what its appearance says about your cycle and fertility? Everything you need to know about how the menstrual cycle works, a woman's fertile period, or specifically about changes in cervical mucus, can be found in this webinar. If you already know the basics and want to learn how to effectively determine the fertile period of your cycle and use it as a form of natural contraception or for planning pregnancy, you can choose the follow-up webinar.
Does hormonal contraception affect vaginal discharge?
Contraception containing progestin, a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone, can lead to a thicker consistency of cervical fluid. This makes it harder for sperm to penetrate through the cervix, reducing the chance of conception. Women using hormonal contraception may therefore experience thicker cervical mucus, or significantly less of it. (3)
Vaginal discharge versus vaginal infection
If the balance of bacteria normally living in the vagina changes, it can lead to a condition called vaginal infection. (5)
This usually manifests as:
- Discharge of unusual color (whitish-grey, yellowish-green)
- Discharge of thick, lumpy consistency
- Itching, burning
- Redness of the intimate area
- Odor
- Pain or burning during urination
If these symptoms sound familiar, contact your doctor as soon as possible to suggest effective and fast treatment.
However, every woman can prevent similar problems in her daily life through proper hygiene, a balanced diet, and a healthy lifestyle, as well as by choosing menstrual protection products that do not over-dry or irritate the intimate area.
Do you have questions about the menstrual cycle and women's health? Ask in our free Femvie advisory service.
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With love,
The Femvie Team
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Frequently Asked Questions
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