Do you experience clear white sticky discharge during your menstrual cycle and you are worried? Sticky discharge is common in women and is mostly normal.
This guide will explain the possible causes, the three types and color and when your sticky discharge may be due to an infection, but it does not replace seeing your doctor.
What is vaginal discharge?
Vaginal discharge is a natural way your vagina keeps itself clean and protected from infection. It can be of different colors or thickness during your menstrual cycle. Your menstrual cycle is the time difference between 2 of your menstruation. It is usually between 21 and 35 days.
Also, vaginal discharge can have different colors during your menstrual cycle. It may be brownish, pinkish, yellowish, milky white, creamy or the typical white vaginal discharge. In general, normal vaginal discharge is clear or white and does not have a strong or bad smell (ACOG).
Should I be worried about any of these colors?
Not always. Most women with yellowish discharge may have an infection, but it could still be normal in others if there is no smell, itching or pain. Also, brownish discharge can be a sign you’re ovulating, close to your period, or that you are pregnant.
Just like there could be different colors, there are also different textures of your discharge. It could be watery, sticky, creamy or thick depending on the time of your cycle.
Is sticky mucus discharge normal in women?
Yes. Sticky mucus discharge is a normal discharge. During your menstrual cycle, there are hormone changes that occur in your body that affects your vaginal discharge. During your period, when you’re shedding uterine endometrial tissues, estrogen level begins to rise. This is due to the effects of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) on your ovaries.
As the follicles in your ovaries grow, they help boost estrogen production. After your period ends, cervical mucus is creamy and sticky.
Around ovulation, your discharge is watery and egg white discharge. This is your fertile mucus and sexual intercourse during this period can get you pregnant.
After ovulation, which is the rupture and release of an egg from your ovaries, there is an increased level of progesterone. This progesterone will cause sticky mucus which is thick in the later part of your menstrual cycle. Just after your ovulation, your discharge becomes dry or thick white.
Should I be worried about my white sticky discharge?
Usually no. Sticky discharge is not an abnormal discharge if it has no bad smell, itching or pain. It can occur naturally before and after your ovulation. Sometimes discharge around your ovulation can be brownish, bloody or pinkish. This happens because ovulation can cause a small amount of bleeding when the follicle ruptures.
If the discharge is very bloody, lasts more than a few days, has clots, or you feel dizzy, weak or have severe pain, then you should see a doctor urgently.
Should I be worried if my sticky discharge is smelling and with odor?
Yes. Normal sticky discharge does not have any strong odor, smell or vaginal itching. If your discharge has a strong or unpleasant odor, especially with itching, burning, pain during sex or when passing urine, then it may be because of an infection and you should see your doctor or sexual health clinic (NHS – vaginal discharge). nhs.uk+1
What are the types and colors of sticky discharge
Sticky discharge can be brown, yellow, green and whitish. Green discharge is usually abnormal and should be checked by a doctor. nhs.uk+1
1. White sticky discharge
This is the most common type experienced by women. It is white in color and does not smell or cause vaginal itching. White sticky discharge is normal, and you should not be worried about it.
Should I get worried if my sticky discharge is excessive?
No. This is normal in women especially during ovulation, when pregnant and while you’re breastfeeding, as long as there is no bad smell, itching or pain.
2. Yellow sticky discharge
This is often due to infection of the vagina. Common infections that can cause yellow sticky discharge are chlamydia, trichomonas infection, and gonorrhea. If left untreated or poorly treated these infections can spread upward and become complicated, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can affect your fallopian tubes and cause difficulty getting pregnant, pus in your abdomen, tubal (ectopic) pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain (CDC – pelvic inflammatory disease).
However, it is possible to have a healthy sticky yellow discharge. When you discharge into your panties, it can turn yellow on contact with room air. This is not a problem especially when you do not have any smell, vaginal itching or soreness of your vagina.
Also, yellow discharge due to infection requires treatment. You should inform your doctor about your discharge, and your sexual partner may also need treatment.
3. Brown sticky discharge
This is often due to old blood coming out of the uterus and can happen around ovulation, just before or after your period, or in early pregnancy.
When does ovulation occur? And what does it mean?
Ovulation is normal in every regular menstrual cycle. It is the release of an egg from your ovary. This egg, which is released into your fallopian tube, is produced due to rupture of the most mature ovarian follicle. This rupture causes slight spotting in women. When this bleeding is mixed with your sticky clear discharge, it comes out your vagina as brownish discharge.
Ovulation usually occurs during the middle of your cycle. If you have a 28-day menstrual cycle, it is likely that ovulation will occur in the middle (that is day 14-16), but this can vary.
Should I be worried about my brown sticky mucus due to ovulation?
No. It resolves in few days and does not have an odor. However, if it continues for days can increasingly become bloody, then it’s abnormal.
Also, brown sticky discharge can be a sign that you are pregnant. After the release of the egg into the fallopian tube, it is fertilized by the sperm to form your baby. After fertilization, the zygote (baby) will need to be implanted into the endometrial lining of the uterus. This process can cause some women to have slight bleeding. If this blood from implantation mixes with your discharge, it forms sticky brown discharge.
Should I be worried?
No. Brown sticky discharge due to ovulation resolves in few days. It usually occurs after ovulation and before your next period. It has no smell or vaginal itching.
When should I worry about my sticky white discharge?
Normal discharge has no odor, smell, vaginal itching and does not cause pain during intercourse. However, if you develop any of these symptoms then you should get worried as it’s likely due to an infection.
Also, yellow discharge and green sticky discharge with smell and itching are a sign of infection.
Each time you notice that stuff is coming down your vagina, you should ask yourself these questions.
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Is my discharge white? (It could be yellow, brown and still normal)
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Is it excessive? (It could be excessive and still normal)
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Any smell or itching? (If your discharge is itching and white then you could have yeast infection)
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Do I have low abdomen pain or fever? (This could be due to pelvic inflammatory disease and needs urgent medical review) CDC+1
You should also see a doctor quickly if you have discharge with pelvic or tummy pain, fever, bleeding between periods or after sex, or if you are pregnant and notice unusual discharge. nhs.uk+2nidirect+2
Yeast infection
This is an infection that can affect your vagina. It is usually caused by Candida albicans, a fungus. If you have yeast, you will notice white cottage cheese looking discharge come down your vagina with pain and vaginal itching. You may notice difficulty while urinating and discomfort during intercourse.
However, it can usually be treated with antifungal medicines (creams inserted in the vagina or a single-dose tablet), but it is best to be checked first if this is your first infection, you are pregnant, or the symptoms keep coming back (CDC – vaginal candidiasis treatment). CDC+1
PID (Pelvic inflammatory disease)
This is an infection of the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, usually caused by sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia and sometimes linked with bacterial vaginosis. If left untreated it can cause problems with getting pregnant in the future, tubal (ectopic) pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain (CDC – pelvic inflammatory disease). CDC
Learn PID symptoms and treatment.
Frequently asked question about white sticky discharge
These are some frequently asked questions we received about sticky discharge. Feel free to ask more question or suggestions below.
Is clear sticky discharge a sign of pregnancy?
Not by itself. Brown sticky discharge may be a sign of pregnancy if it occurs after ovulation. This usually happens about one week before you’re expecting the next period. Other signs and symptoms of pregnancy include feeling tired, breast changes and pain, mild lower tummy cramps, nausea and a missed period.
Also, clear sticky discharge that occurs after you have missed your period with pregnancy symptoms may be due to pregnancy. Not sure about your symptoms, then run a pregnancy test.
What causes white sticky discharge before period?
White sticky discharge that occurs before your period is not abnormal. During the early and late part of your menstrual cycle, your discharge is thick white or dry. However, if you’ve missed your expecting period, then clear sticky discharge may be a possible pregnancy sign, so you can do a pregnancy test if you are not sure.
What causes white sticky discharge after period?
White and clear sticky discharge after period is normal discharge and you should not be worried, as long as there is no bad smell, itching or pain.
Now it’s your turn. Do you feel your sticky discharge is abnormal? Let us know.
Dr Akatakpo Dunn is a Nigerian medical doctor, sonologist and Medical Director of Verah Clinic & Maternity in Warri, Nigeria. He holds an MBBS from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, a Postgraduate Diploma in Diagnostic Ultrasound (India) and a Professional Diploma in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (RCPI). Through Medplux, he explains women’s health, pregnancy, fertility and ultrasound in clear, practical language so readers can make informed decisions with their own doctors.
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