Clear Discharge Before Period: Stretchy, Slimy, Sticky: Am I Pregnant?
Last updated on April 30th, 2019 at 02:37 pm
Whether your discharge is stretchy, slimy or sticky, a white clear discharge before period is a way you can understand “what’s next” in your menstrual cycle.
Depending on the texture and volume of your vaginal discharge before next menstrual period, you can tell if you are pregnant or not, or if ovulation has been delayed or not.
If you are consistently having sexual intercourse without protection, a clear discharge before period may indicate you may be pregnant.
This type of discharge may also indicate normal ovulation process that occurs in your menstrual cycle.
Ovulation is the rupture and release of one or more eggs into your uterus, and it may cause women to have a clear and slimy vaginal discharge. If your ovulation becomes delayed, it’s possible you may now have experienced a clear slimy discharge before your period.
Then again, you may have a clear sticky discharge before period. This type of vaginal discharge is also normal and a way your body is telling you ovulation period has passed and your period is just around the corner.
This article explains what a sticky, slimy, jelly, creamy discharge before period means, and when you should worry about pregnancy, vaginal infections or other medical problems.
What is normal vaginal discharge?
A clear white vaginal discharge without smell is normal discharge you should have. It indicates your vaginal area is healthy, and you likely do not have any infection down there.
Vaginal discharge is produced by glands located at the cervix, and depending on the effect of hormones, you will experience a watery, thick, less than normal or so much vaginal discharge.
If your discharge smells, it’s likely because there is a problem down there. Likewise, if your vaginal discharge color is not clear white, but rather greenish or yellowish, it means there is something wrong.
Though whitish discharge may always seem normal, women with a yeast infection will have a thick clumpy white vaginal discharge that will occur with itching in your vaginal area. Also, bacterial vaginosis causes women to have a whitish fishy smelly discharge that is very offensive.
What causes white clear discharge before period
If you are just a few days away from your period and now experience a clear looking vaginal discharge, here are the possible causes.
1. Normal vaginal discharge
A woman’s vaginal discharge is normally clear and whitish in color. At times, your vaginal discharge that commonly looks whitish may become yellowish after exposure to air (oxidation).
This is not abnormal, and provided you do not have vaginal irritation and burning, there is no reason to panic about your milky white or yellow discharge.
However, if you experience vaginal burning, itching, smelly discharge, soreness and painful urination, it means something is wrong down there.
2. You are pregnant (watch Video)
If you become pregnant, a clear discharge is common in the first trimester. Though some women may experience a brownish discharge (due to implantation bleeding), an excessive clear discharge before period is a sign of pregnancy.
Other pregnancy symptoms are breast pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and mood changes. However, the most reliable way to confirm pregnancy is through a pregnancy test.
Before your next menstrual period begins, if you are suspecting pregnancy and quickly run a test, it’s likely you will not get an accurate result. So, if you are expecting a child, it’s important you test for pregnancy after missing your period for some days.
In fact, you are less likely to test positive if a pregnancy test is carried out a week before your period begins. This is because your hormones (that becomes raised during pregnancy and detected through blood and urine strip) are still low and rising, and not at the level where they can be detected.
3. Ovulation
Ovulation is a way your body shows you are fertile, and it involves the release of an egg, every month, into your fallopian tube.
If you are in the middle of your menstrual cycle (which is about a week after the end of your period), a clear watery, stretchy, egg-like or jelly-like discharge is normal and occurs because of ovulation.
Though you are likely to have ovulation two weeks before your period starts, a clear stretchy discharge just before period may still be due to ovulation.
Sometimes, your activities, including stress, heavy work, too much eating, and acute body illness may cause your ovulation to be shifted to a later date.
If this happens and you have clear stretchy discharge before your menstrual period, it’s not something you should panic about.
To be sure it’s ovulation, you may also experience vaginal wetness, increased libido, mild to moderate pain in your tummy, and sometimes, nausea.
What does clear discharge before missed period mean?
If you are not expecting a baby and had unsafe intercourse weeks back, it’s normal that you will panic when menstruation does not come on the scheduled date.
If you’ve missed your period for days or weeks and notice a clear discharge that is so much than normal, it’s a sign of pregnancy.
The commonest reason women will miss period is pregnancy, Though, Postinor pill after sexual intercourse, perimenopause, polycystic ovaries, birth control pill, and delayed ovulation will cause your period to come later than expected.
First of all, observe if you have other symptoms of pregnancy too. Any breast pain? Are you eating much more than normal or suddenly have a decreased appetite? Do you feel tired quickly?
If you experience symptoms that suggest pregnancy, you can take a pregnancy test now.
If after missing your period, and you still test negative, this guide explains the possible causes and best time after sexual activity to check for pregnancy.
What do clear discharge before period and cramps mean?
If you are close to your menstrual period, lower abdominal pain that becomes much more severe will cause you to worry.
The truth is, if you are expecting menstruation, abdominal cramps are not uncommon. In fact, it’s a sign a lot of girls experience before period starts.
Within one or two days from your period, your body hormones are depleted, and your vaginal area feels dry with less discharge. If you now have cramps too, it’s a sign your period will start.
On the other hand, if you are experiencing a lot of discharge before period and abdominal cramps, it could be due to pregnancy or delayed ovulation. Take a pregnancy test if you eventually miss your period too.
What does clear sticky discharge before period mean?
Vaginal discharge changes throughout your menstrual cycle. If you’re yet to observe these changes, a sticky or gummy discharge may get you worried.
A clear sticky discharge that occurs a few days prior to the start of your menstrual period is not abnormal, and it a sign your period will begin in a few days.
If you don’t perceive an abnormal odor or feel pain in your vaginal area, its nothing to worry about.
What does clear stretchy discharge before period mean?
A sticky discharge is okay before period. It means your period will start soon.
However, if your discharge becomes stretchy between your fingers just before your next period, it could be due to pregnancy or ovulation happening later than expected.