Vaginal Discharge 101 - Colors, Textures, & Odors [Explained]

What is Vaginal Discharge?

If you are a woman, you know what I am talking about when I mention vaginal discharge.

Sometimes also called cervical discharge, cervical mucus, or vaginal secretions, vaginal discharge is liquid or fluid at various consistencies coming from the vagina throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle.

It is also completely normal and is a strong indicator that a woman’s fertility is intact. Depending on the woman, the time in her cycle, and her stage of life, vaginal discharge can have different colors, textures, viscosity, etc.

And these differences can clue us in on what is happening and what is and is not normal.

Vaginal Discharge Colors, Textures, & Odors

Generally speaking, vaginal discharge can be colors such as clear, white, yellow, or even grayish at times. And textures can vary from curdy to slimy to creamy to even viscous.

All of these occurrences are generally normal at certain times within a woman’s life and menstrual cycle. However, we start to explore abnormalities when we recognize unusual odors or accompanying symptoms like itching and burning.

For most, vaginal discharge should be almost odorless, and this would typically indicate that there isn’t a problem. It is when strong, sometimes fishy odors occur, that there is cause for concern, as this can often mean the presence of a bacterial infection. 

Additionally, if a woman experiences burning, itching, or irritation, this can be an indication of other issues. These symptoms often accompany vulvar inflammation, and I would therefore recommend seeing your OBGYN or other provider for an exam.

The key is to recognize any vaginal discharge abnormalities in color, texture, or odor, and then determine if any of those are associated with a possible infection.  

Vaginal Discharge, Your Period, and Fertility

As I mentioned, vaginal discharge can vary slightly from woman to woman. And for those women of reproductive age, it varies even more based on the time of the woman’s menstrual cycle.

Let’s divide the cycle phases up so we can clearly see what is going on with vaginal discharge. 

Follicular Phase: The follicular phase occurs starting on the first day of menstruation and goes until you ovulate. During this portion of a woman’s cycle, the follicles (which house immature eggs) are ripening in the ovary, in preparation for ovulation. The first few days after your period bleeding ends, vaginal discharge is almost nonexistent. Then about 3–5 days after that, you will probably notice some discharge beginning to appear*. This discharge is typically white and cloudy, and maybe even sticky or paste-like in consistency. As ovulation gets closer and estrogen levels rise prior to the typical preovulatory LH (luteinizing hormone) surge, discharge changes again, this time to a mucusy, stretchy texture, similar to that of an egg-white. This directly precedes ovulation and indicates your most fertile vaginal discharge, if you are trying to conceive. 

*If you notice what looks like brown discharge following your period, this is generally not cause for concern, as it is quite normal and likely to be old menstrual blood tinting your discharge.

Luteal Phase: The luteal phase immediately follows ovulation and goes until your next period. And this phase can bring big changes in your vaginal discharge. As progesterone takes over during this phase, your body often produces a more thick, creamy discharge, especially as your period approaches. Another name for this typical premenstrual discharge is leukorrhea, and it usually consists of cells and fluids. It is often whitish in color, but can also have a yellowish tinge. If you notice abnormal colors other than these, that may be a sign of something else and should be seen by a gynecologist. 

Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy

Pregnancy changes everything, and your vaginal discharge is no different. When a woman first becomes pregnant, one of the telltale signs may be that she experiences a vast increase in vaginal discharge, obviously in conjunction with the absence of a period (for most women).

This discharge is usually milky white with a thicker, creamier texture, and is generally odorless. It is worth noting that if you are actively trying to get pregnant, this is something you could look for.

Additionally, if you see a little bit of blood or spotting in your discharge during early pregnancy—specifically around when you would have expected your period—and you don’t get your period, this could also be a sign of pregnancy.

The spotting may be what is sometimes referred to as implantation bleeding, or bleeding associated with a fertilized egg attaching to the uterine wall. 

Vaginal Discharge After Menopause

Menopause is defined as the phase of a woman’s life when she has gone at least a year without menstruating, due to lack of ovulation. And for many perimenopausal (just before menopause) and menopausal women, it is not abnormal to actually have an increase in vaginal discharge, especially in that initial perimenopausal stage.

This is because of an estrogen dominant phase that occurs at the very beginning of perimenopause. However, when menopause is in full effect, discharge is not as common and can be dramatically decreased due to an overall decline in estrogen and progesterone.

Typically for many menopausal and postmenupausal women, when there is discharge, it is often associated with other symptoms or signs of a yeast infection or bacterial infection, both of which are often because of the aforementioned estrogen decline. And when estrogen declines so dramatically as it does for menopausal and postmenopausal women, it impacts the pH of the vagina and what flora resides in the vaginal mucosa.

Subsequently, this change in flora makes the vagina much more accessible to bacteria and yeast. Additionally, this estrogen decrease can also affect the protective bacteria that lines the vagina, making you more susceptible to those infections.

Overall, menopausal and postmenopausal women tend to experience a great lack of vaginal discharge and even vaginal dryness. In fact, many women in menopause may choose to use a vaginal lubricant, which can also unfortunately disrupt vaginal flora and cause increased risk of infections that cause odors, irritation, itching, and burning.

Generally speaking, most of the discharge that we see in menopausal women is most likely a sign of either irritation or infection and should be addressed by a medical provider.

Book an Appointment

If you have questions about vaginal discharge or would like help, we would love to help you. At Simplicity Health Associates in New York City, we help many patients understand their vaginal discharge and what to do if something seems abnormal.

Click here to book an appointment online or call (646) 470-8458. You can also email us here.