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Women are not Barbie dolls: a living organism produces various secrets, fluids and mucus. Some discharge is normal, but sometimes it can be a sign of a disease. Especially if the secret has an unpleasant color and smell.
In healthy women, as a rule, there are no noticeable discharges, that is, they are, but they do not have a specific color and smell. But under the influence of various factors, the physiological secret (secreted by the glands) and the vaginal fluid can change, the discharge becomes pathological.
More often, the “culprits” are microorganisms that live in a woman’s body and are conditionally pathogenic and realize their “bad” effect when immunity is reduced. And it is during pregnancy that a woman often develops immunodeficiency, for example, due to anemia or malnutrition, and these conditions can become a kind of catalyst for the development of a disease. Also, we should not forget that there are sexually transmitted infections that also lead to pathological discharge – they are “introduced” into the vagina by a partner.
What can green discharge during pregnancy indicate? Such a secretion can be a sign of bacterial vaginosis, vaginitis (colpitis), candidiasis, trichomoniasis and other STIs (1).
Characteristics of green discharge during pregnancy
| Color | From slightly greenish and yellow-green to bright green |
| Smell | Most often – the smell of stale fish or a putrid smell, in some cases there may be no smell |
| Structure | It can be different, depending on the disease and its stage, sometimes there may be an admixture of blood in the secretions |
| Consistency | Fluid, pus-like, watery, frothy, cheesy, creamy discharge |
| Feel | May be accompanied by itching, discomfort, pain in the lower abdomen, burning in the vagina or urethra – but not always |
Liquid secretions
Typical, for example, for bacterial vaginosis. In half of the cases, this disease is generally asymptomatic, but clinical manifestations include the appearance of the smell of spoiled fish and a change in the color of the discharge – they can be yellow-green, white or gray. The smell may intensify after sexual intercourse or hygiene procedures using alkaline products.
Mucous and purulent discharge
Purulent discharge is characteristic of aerobic vaginitis. Mucus in this case is abundant, thick, accompanied by a putrid smell (1).
Also, purulent-mucous discharge can be observed with cervicitis caused by STIs (for example, with gonorrheal – creamy discharge), the same can be observed in a partner from the urethra. Sometimes these conditions are asymptomatic.
Foamy discharge
Watery, frothy green discharge may indicate the development of trichomoniasis. This is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections.
Cheesy discharge
Discharge is a common symptom of vaginal candidiasis or, more simply, thrush. It is characterized by curdled discharge of a white, sometimes yellow or green hue. And often there are other characteristic symptoms: itching, burning, dryness and discomfort.
Why do green discharge appear during early pregnancy
Consider the main reasons for the appearance of a green secret at the beginning of pregnancy.
Discharge in the 1st trimester
Bacterial vaginosis is, in fact, dysbacteriosis. That is, a banal violation of the microflora of the vagina. It can occur for various reasons, for example, during antibiotic treatment, after depilation, or due to stress.
There may be a liquid discharge of a white tint, yellow-green or grayish. Often accompanied by an unpleasant smell of spoiled fish.
The process itself is not dangerous for a person, but in the case of pregnant women, consultation with a doctor and adequate treatment is necessary, since bacterial vaginosis increases the risk of contracting other infections and pregnancy complications (including premature birth) (2).
Trichomoniasis – one of the most “popular” sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In 20–40% of women, the disease may be asymptomatic (subjectively) (3). But during pregnancy, signs of the disease often appear, including profuse, liquid, frothy, green or gray-yellow discharge with an unpleasant odor (sometimes of other shades or containing blood streaks) (4). Allocations are accompanied by pain during urination, redness and swelling of the mucous membrane of the vagina and vulva, itching often occurs.
Other STIs. Often, mucus mixed with pus can be discharged from the genital tract in diseases of the genitourinary tract that are caused by STIs (we mentioned gonorrhea and trichomoniasis above). When infected with Mycoplasma genitalium (pathogen), discharge from the urethra and / or genital tract is mucopurulent, may be accompanied by itching, burning and soreness during intercourse. Similar discharge and complaints can be with chlamydia. But the disease can also be asymptomatic.
Aerobic vaginitis is an inflammatory disease of the vaginal mucosa that occurs when opportunistic aerobic microorganisms (streptococci and staphylococcus aureus) are activated. With aerobic vaginitis, there are complaints of profuse purulent discharge, including with a greenish tinge, discomfort and burning in the vulva, in 10-20% of cases it can be subclinical (asymptomatic) (5).
Why green discharge appears during late pregnancy
If green discharge appears in the middle or end of pregnancy, this may indicate a number of diseases.
Discharge in the 2nd trimester
Thrush – a disease familiar, probably, to all women. This is because fungi of the genus Candida live in a small amount in our body, but in the presence of certain factors, their number can increase rapidly. And then unpleasant symptoms appear: curdled discharge of a white or greenish tint, itching, burning, discomfort.
In pregnant women, given the restructuring of the hormonal background, thrush can periodically manifest itself throughout the entire gestation period.
Also, other reasons for the appearance of secretions, which were mentioned above, are not excluded.
Discharge in the 3st trimester
By the end of the gestational period, women are especially attentive to secretions: the mucous plug may move away ahead of time, other scenarios may occur. And any discharge can, as in other trimesters, talk about a particular disease.
In addition to those already listed above, it is possible vaginitis (colpitis), which is one of the common causes of green discharge. In this case, the color of the mucus is greenish-yellow, the discharge is abundant, there is an unpleasant odor, discomfort or pain in the intimate area.
What to do if green discharge appears during pregnancy at home
Green mucus, especially in the presence of a specific odor and other symptoms (pain, burning, blood in the secretions), does not apply to physiological secretions. In other words, this is a clear deviation from the norm. Therefore, in such cases, you should immediately contact your doctor.
Considering that similar symptoms can be a manifestation of various diseases and pathologies, it will be necessary to take tests and undergo treatment prescribed by a doctor.
In some cases, the discharge is not accompanied by pain or other unpleasant symptoms, but they should not be ignored. For example, in cervicitis, despite the (often) absence of painful and uncomfortable sensations, there is a risk of preterm labor due to intra-amniotic inflammation, which in most cases is asymptomatic (6).
Self-treatment “on the Internet” is fraught with the development of complications. Therefore, the only right decision is to consult a doctor on time, and also not to miss scheduled examinations.
Popular questions and answers
Pregnancy is a period when a woman is especially sensitive to any changes. Often people turn to the doctor about the discharge – and for good reason. Usually this is the first marker of any negative processes in the body. Therefore, it is important to know more about it. Answers to popular questions for our readers expert, Alsu Kuchumova, obstetrician-gynecologist, ultrasound doctor.
What not to do when you notice green discharge?
At 35-37 weeks of gestation, all pregnant women, regardless of complaints, take a smear for bacterial examination from the cervical canal in the antenatal clinic, according to the clinical recommendations “Normal pregnancy”, in order to exclude the presence of group B streptoccus, which is the cause of pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis in newborns. If streptoccus is detected, antibiotic prophylaxis during childbirth is necessary.
Why is amniotic fluid green?
Meconium can leave ahead of time, that is, in utero, for some reasons: maternal smoking, exacerbation of maternal chronic diseases during pregnancy, entanglement of the umbilical cord around the neck and torso of the fetus, weakness of labor, development of fetal hypoxia during childbirth.
The most alarming thing is if thick meconium amniotic fluid flows. The risk is that meconium can enter the respiratory tract during the first breath of the baby and clog the smallest alveoli in the lungs.
How to distinguish amniotic fluid from abundant discharge?
Normal vaginal pH is acidic and amniotic fluid pH is alkaline. There are some restrictions, which can be found in the instructions. Also, a similar test can be carried out by the attending physician at the reception during the examination.
Can I use the pool if there is green discharge?
Is it possible to use tampons with green discharge?
One out of ten patients with preterm labor has signs of intra-amniotic inflammation, which in most cases is asymptomatic. These women have a high risk of premature rupture of the membranes and purulent-inflammatory complications in the postpartum period. For a long time, untreated infection leads to the development of severe chorioamnionitis and the systemic fetal inflammatory response syndrome.
Sources of
- A.V. Ledina. Vaginal discharge: causes, patient management algorithm and modern approaches to treatment and prevention // Obstetrics and gynecology: news, opinions, training. 2019. Volume 7. No. 3. pp. 107-111. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/vaginalnye-vydeleniya-prichiny-algoritm-vedeniya-patsientok-i-sovremennye-podhody-k-lecheniyu-i-profilaktike/viewer
- Kairys N., Garg M. Bacterial vaginosis // StatPearls. 2019. URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459216/
- O.I. Letyaeva, O.R. Ziganshin. Urogenital trichomoniasis in women: current state of the problem and issues of therapy // BC. Mother and child. 2019. Volume 2. No. 2. pp. 126-130. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/urogenitalnyy-trihomoniaz-u-zhenschin-sovremennoe-sostoyanie-problemy-i-voprosy-terapii/viewer
- Gynecology. National guide. Under ed. V.I. Kulakova, G.M. Savelyevoi, I.B. Manukhina // IG “GEOTAR-Media”. 2009. 1088 p.
- Jackie Sherrard, others. European (IUSTI/WHO) International Union against sexually transmitted infections (IUSTI) World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline on the management of vaginal discharge // International journal of STD&AIDS. 2018. Vol. 29(13). 1258-1272. URL: https://iusti.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Vagdx2018.pdf
- Преждевременные роды. Клинические рекомендации. 2020. URL: http://zdrav.spb.ru/media/filebrowser/%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B6%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5_%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%8B_1.pdf