White Vaginal Discharge: When Is Thick White Discharge Abnormal?

Do you experience white vaginal discharge and feel your white discharge could be abnormal? Then this guide will help you understand what white discharge means, causes and when it’s abnormal.

Every woman in their childbearing years will experience a cyclical change in their discharge. Understanding what is normal and how hormones affect your discharge is therefore important.

What is normal vaginal discharge in women?

The normal vaginal discharge is made up of vaginal cells, bacteria, mucus from the cervix. It can have different colors. It can be white and thick or clear watery discharge. Also, some women can have yellow discharge or brown discharge.

Vaginal discharge is an easy way of keeping the vagina clean and free from infection. Dead cells and bacteria are continuously removed. This is a natural process. Women that indulge in vaginal douching and vaginal soap wash affect this process destroying the normal vaginal flora.

The presence of white vaginal discharge with no odor, no smell and not clumpy is normal. This should not be a concern. Also, white vaginal discharge can turn yellow due to oxidation on contact with air.

How your menstrual cycle affects your white vaginal discharge?

The menstrual cycle is the time between 2 periods. The first day of your menstrual cycle is the start of your menstruation.

In a woman with a normal 28-day cycle, ovulation usually occurs around day 14. Ovulation is the process of expelling the egg from the ovary. You may experience ovulation signs like breast tenderness, mild abdominal pain.

Before ovulation, the level of estrogen hormone is high. This high level of estrogen causes the cervix to produce a clear discharge that is stretchy. This occurs before you ovulate and aids the movement of sperm to fertilize the egg. To detect this, you can easily dip your fingers into your vagina and stretch your vaginal discharge between your fingers. If stretchy and egg white, then it’s likely you are ovulating.

After ovulation, there is an increase in progesterone hormone. This will cause thick white discharge just before your periods. The thickness of your discharge is not abnormal.

What is abnormal vaginal discharge?

Vaginal discharge is white, sometimes brownish. It can be watery or thick during your menstrual cycle. However, the presence of foul-smelling discharge is abnormal. Other symptoms you can have with your discharge are fever, vaginal itching, fish smelling discharge, or green discharge.

If you notice this type of discharge, then it’s abnormal. You should inform your doctor.

What are the causes of white vaginal discharge?

Vaginal douching.

This is the use of a douche or water flow to wash the vagina. This can disrupt the normal vaginal flora in women. In the vagina, there are good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria that protect the vagina are the lactobacilli. During Vaginal douching this balance is affected leading to increased bad bacteria. This can cause BV (bacterial vaginosis) in women with thin grayish-white vaginal discharge and fishy smell.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics

These kinds of medicines are used to treat infection in women. They kill both the good and bad bacteria. This will result in dominance of fungi (because these antibiotics do not kill fungi), and subsequently, yeast infection (candidiasis). Yeast infection discharge is thick clumpy or cheesy. Women may have a vaginal itch and painful urination.

Ovulation

Just before and after ovulation, your vaginal discharge can be clear or thick white.

Sexual intercourse

During intercourse, there is an increase in the volume of white discharge in women. This can help lubricate the vagina for comfort.

Pregnancy

Most pregnant women will have normal white vaginal discharge. Discharge is usually clear and excessive.

How is abnormal vaginal discharge treated?

If you experience thick white discharge that is clumpy or cheesy, then it may be due to an infection. Inform your doctor for treatment.

Drug of choice is dependent on the cause of the infection. If due to yeast infection, then an azole antifungal is used. Women who have abnormal white discharge due to bacterial vaginosis (BV) can be treated with metronidazole.

What are the complications of abnormal discharge in women?

If you experience abnormal white discharge, it is important to get treated early to prevent complications.

Some of the complications of untreated vaginal infections (especially STIs) are

• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

• Preterm labor

• Miscarriage

• Infertility

• Ectopic pregnancy

• Lack of self-confidence

Frequently Asked Question

You asked, and we answered. These are some commonly asked questions about vaginal discharge.

What causes white milky discharge in women?

White milky discharge is often normal, but may mean you are pregnant or you’re ovulating. During ovulation, your discharge is usually clear, slippery and stretchy. It is not a cause for concern. However, the presence of white milky discharge without the onset of your period may be due to pregnancy.

If you are not sure of your pregnancy symptoms, then you can run a pregnancy test. Early signs of pregnancy are a missed period, tender breast and getting tired quickly.

Read more: Milky white discharge

What causes thick white discharge in women?

Thick white discharge is normal in women. It is due to changes towards the end of your menstrual cycle (that is just before your period starts). You will experience thick discharge due to effects of progesterone.

What causes thick white discharge before period?

This is similar to the above. Just before the onset of your period, there is a high level of progesterone that will cause thick discharge before your period. It is normal, and you should not be concerned.

What causes thick white discharge after sexual intercourse?

This is not unhealthy for women. It occurs due to increased mucus production during arousal by the Bartholin glands. This will lubricate the vagina during intercourse for a better experience.

In addition, sperm can be confused as vaginal discharge especially when you practice unprotected intercourse.

What is the cause of thick white discharge in women?

Thick white clumpy discharge is usually due to yeast infection. You should inform your doctor if you experience vaginal itching, soreness, and pain while urinating.

What is the cause of white discharge in early pregnancy?

Due to hormone changes when you get pregnant, the cervix will produce more vaginal discharge. This is important to help protect the baby from ascending infection. White discharge in early pregnancy is normal. It is also called leukorrhea.

However, if your discharge turns yellow with odor, then it may be a sign of infection. You should inform your doctor.

What is white discharge treatment?

Most women with white discharge are normal. However, treatment is necessary if an infection is suspected. Use of antifungal drugs and antibiotics are used to treat yeast and bacterial vaginosis respectively. You should inform your doctor to rule out other STI symptoms too.

What does ovulation discharge look like?

Ovulation discharge is clear, watery and sticky. Most women will describe it as egg white.

Why do I have yellow discharge?

Yellow discharge is usually due to an infection. However, it could be normal when your discharge is exposed to air. Vaginal infections —chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis can cause yellow discharge.

Now it’s your turn to join the conversation. Do you experience abnormal thick white discharge?. Share your symptoms and experiences.