Clear Mucus Discharge: Am I Pregnant or Ovulating?

Do you experience clear mucus discharge (mucus like discharge) that is brown, green, white or yellow and you are worried about it?. Then this guide will explain normal and abnormal causes of clear mucus discharge.

Clear mucus discharge is not an abnormal discharge. It can occur in the middle and towards the end of your menstrual cycle. It is often caused by ovulation and pregnancy.

Is it normal? Yes. Most women with clear discharge are normal unless they notice smell or itching which may mean a vaginal infection

What is normal mucus discharge in women?

It is abnormal for a woman during her reproductive years not to have any discharge. This mucus discharge helps to keep your vagina clean and also acts as a barrier to prevent infections. A woman’s vaginal discharge is made up of many different kind of cells – vaginal epithelial cells, bacteria including lactobacillus and your cervical mucus.

A normal discharge from a woman does not smell and has no sign of inflammation like vulva itching, burning sensation when you’re urinating and pain during sexual intercourse.

However, the color of your mucus discharge can be clear white, thick white, yellowish, brownish pink or sometimes bloody discharge. This different type of mucus may be normal or abnormal.

Should i be worried about yellow mucus discharge? Not always. On contact with room air and due to oxidation your mucus discharge can turn yellow. This should not worry you as its normal. However, yellow mucus discharge can also be due to a vaginal infection from gonorrhea , chlamydia, or trichomoniasis.

Should i be worried also if i see a brown mucus discharge or bloody discharge? Not always. It is usually normal for women in middle of their cycle and sometimes just before their next period to have brown discharge.

Therefore, the color of your mucus discharge may be normal even when u are worried about it.

What are the normal causes of clear mucus like discharge?

If you have a clear mucus discharge, it may be due to pregnancy, ovulation or sexual arousal.

Pregnancy

A clear mucus discharge after you’ve missed your period is not enough to confirm pregnancy, but it can happen in early pregnancy. How does this happen? After the egg and the sperm get fertilized, there are hormone changes that occurs in your body. If you’re pregnant, there is an increased estrogen hormone that will stimulate the cervix to produce more mucus like discharge. This is important to form a mucus plug that should prevent your baby from ascending germs.

If you’re expecting a baby then this is not a problem. However, if you’re not planning it, then its important to inform your doctor for counselling and support plans.

Ovulation

Is it possible that my clear mucus discharge is due to ovulation? Yes. Clear mucus discharge that occurs around the middle of your cycle is likely due to ovulation.

What is ovulation?. As you get older, you will experience monthly cyclical period. The time between two of your period is your menstrual cycle. It is normally between 21 to 35 days. Within each cycle, there is cyclical expulsion of an egg from the most mature follicle in the ovaries. This is called ovulation.

As your period ends, there is a rise in estrogen level before you ovulate. This rise in estrogen will make your clear mucus turn watery, stretchy and egg-white. This is necessary because it helps the sperm to easily move to the fallopian tube for fertilization to occur.

Also, just before ovulation, you may experience increase urge to have intercourse. This is natural and not a problem too.

Therefore. mucus clear discharge is not abnormal if it occurs in the middle of your cycle. However, it may becomes abnormal when your watery mucus like discharge becomes smelly with vaginal itching and odor. This is likely due to an infection

Sexual intercourse

During intercourse, there is an increased production of clear mucus discharge. This is why each time you’re aroused or during intercourse, you notice increased fluid down there. The bartholins glands are just situated at the side of your vaginal opening. When sexually aroused, they are stimulated to produce clear mucus like discharge to improve your sexual experience and reduce friction during intercourse.

If you’re worried about excessive clear mucus after intercourse? then you shouldn’t. It is normal and requires no treatment.

However, if after or during intercourse, you perceive a smelly odor, then it is abnormal. Smelling discharge can be from bacterial vaginosis or from sexually transmitted infections. You should let your doctor know if you have these symptoms.

When should i worry about my clear mucus discharge?

There are conditions that clear discharge might either be an infection or a pregnancy problem.

Yeast infection

Women with yeast infection will have mucus like discharge that looks like cottage cheese. They will also experience itching of the vulva, soreness and painful intercourse. If you experience these symptoms, then its likely you have a candida infection.

In addition, yeast infection is common in women that have taken broad spectrum antibiotic, vaginal douching, diabetic and HIV infected women.

Can yeast be treated? Yes. Use of vaginal antifungal pessaries is safe both if you are pregnant or not. Oral fluconazole is not recommended in pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy

While this is not very common, it is still a common emergency in hospitals. Ectopic pregnancy, also called tubal pregnancy, simply means your baby is not implanted in your womb. It could be in the abdomen or cervix or your fallopian tubes. This can cause vaginal bleeding (sometimes brown watery discharge) with tummy cramps in early pregnancy.

Should i be worried? Yes. If your ectopic gets ruptured it could be fatal. Therefore, inform your doctor of any abnormal symptoms of ectopic pregnancy very early.

Bacterial vaginosis

If you experience fishy odor with your mucus like discharge, then its likely you have bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV is easily treated in women. Also, you can still have BV without showing any symptoms.

Is bacterial vaginosis a sexually transmitted infection? No. However, some sexual practice and vaginal douching can increase your risk. If you have a female partner, it can increase the chances of you getting bacterial vaginosis infection.

In addition, the most striking symptom you will experience is fishy smelling discharge without pain or vaginal itching. You should let your doctor know about your symptoms early to reduce the risk of other infections and complications.

Frequently asked questions about mucus like discharge?

You asked and we answered your questions about clear discharge? You can ask more questions or share your experiences below.

Is white clear mucus discharge a pregnancy sign?

Sometimes. Clear mucus discharge that occurs after a missed period can happen in pregnancy, but it is not a sure sign. Other signs of pregnancy include pink discharge or streak of blood in discharge, breast tenderness, getting tired easily. If you’re not sure about your type of discharge, you can confirm pregnancy by testing yourself.

What causes thick clear jelly like discharge?

This is normal discharge experienced by women during pregnancy or ovulation. If it occurs at the middle of your menstrual cycle, then its likely ovulation. If it occurs after you missed your “expected period”, then you’re likely pregnant.

What is fertile mucus and how can i get pregnant?

If you are serious about getting pregnant, you should understand fertile mucus and ovulation. The best time to get pregnant is having intercourse just before you ovulate. During ovulation, your cervical mucus is clear stretchy discharge that makes it easy for you to conceive. Having regular intercourse during this time will increase you pregnancy chances.

Is clear stretchy discharge due to ovulation?

Yes. During ovulation and due to estrogen your discharge becomes stretchy, clear and watery.

What causes yellow mucus discharge?

While yellow mucus discharge might not be a problem, it can be due to infections in women. If you experience fever, painful urination, smelly discharge or itching then your yellow mucus like discharge is abnormal and due to an infection.

What causes clear slimy discharge when i wipe my vagina?

It is normal in women and because you are often likely to ovulate soon or ovulating. Should i get worried? No. Your vaginal discharge can be slimy or thick depending on your menstrual cycle. However, clear slimy discharge that smells with itching is not normal.

How does mucus discharge during pregnancy look like?

If you are pregnant, the hormones in your body will cause increased secretion of cervical mucus that is clear and white. It may have a mild odor but its normal. Should i be worried if my discharge is excessive in pregnancy? No. Most women that are pregnant do have plenty of white stuff in their vagina.

What causes mucus like brown discharge?

Are you worried about your mucus like brown discharge? Then you should not. It is due to slight bleeding that can occur during ovulation or early pregnancy. During ovulation, the mature follicle ruptures to expel the egg. This causes bleeding that comes out as pinkish brownish mucus like discharge. It is normal provided there is no smell or itching.

Also, during early pregnancy, there can be slight bleeding/spotting. If your brown mucus like discharge occurs at the middle of your cycle then its likely because you’re ovulating. If it occurs about a week to your period then its possible because you’re pregnant.

What causes mucus like white discharge?

Mucus like discharge is normal discharge experienced by women during their childbearing years. Should i worry about it? No. Except if you have itching, smelly odor and pain during intercourse. Yeast infection can cause white discharge, though it is cottage cheese like.

What causes mucus like green discharge?

If you develop mucus discharge that is green, then you have an infection. Women with green discharge that smells with abdomen pain is usually due to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or an STI. Inform your doctor early because PID can make trying to get pregnant difficult.