Pink discharge in women

Normally, every woman has vaginal discharge throughout her cycle. The consistency, abundance and color of the discharge depends on a large number of factors. Even our daily diet can affect texture and color.¹.

Whitish, creamy, yellowish or completely transparent discharge is considered normal. Pink color can confuse and scare a woman. Should I be concerned and when should I see a doctor? We will give answers to these questions in this article.

Why do pink discharge appear in women

The appearance of pink discharge can speak of both natural processes in the body and pathology.

Common causes of pink discharge include:

• starting menstruation;
• ovulation;
• injuries during intercourse (a small amount of lubrication, rudeness);
• implantation bleeding;
• gynecological manipulations (smear sampling);
• installation of an intrauterine device, oral contraceptives.

It must be remembered that if pink discharge appeared for any of the above reasons, they should not cause you discomfort, pain and last more than 1-2 days. Otherwise, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist.

Pathological causes include:

• pathology of the cervix;
• polyps of the body and cervix;
• neoplasms;
• inflammatory diseases of the genital organs;
• endometriosis;
• changes in the vaginal mucosa due to hormonal imbalance.

What does pink discharge mean in women

The meaning of pink discharge will depend on the time of the cycle, when they appeared, and the circumstances accompanying them. To establish the true cause, you should seek the advice of a specialist.

pale pink

The pale pink color of the discharge indicates the admixture of a small amount of blood in them. You can see such discharge in anticipation of pregnancy. The fetal egg, tearing tissues and blood vessels, is immersed in the mucous layer of the uterus. As a result, a woman may see a small amount of pinkish discharge.

pink brown

The presence of discharge with a brown tint at the end of the menstrual cycle should not be scary. During this period, the bleeding becomes rather weak, oxidized and may acquire a characteristic shade.

In the first months of taking oral contraceptives, discharge with a brown tint may be present. These drugs affect the hormonal background of the female body and can cause similar changes. The presence of such secretions is possible in the first months of taking the drug. However, it must be understood that they should not be accompanied by painful sensations or an unpleasant odor. If the symptom persists for more than three months, a doctor’s consultation is necessary.

In the period before the onset of menopause, some women may experience a cycle failure, which is accompanied by pink-brown discharge. This happens due to changes in estrogen levels. Additional symptoms may include hot flashes, mood swings, decreased libido, and insomnia.

But in addition to physiological reasons, there may be pathological processes in the body, accompanied by secretions of a brown tint.²:

• damage to the vagina or on the mucous membranes of the uterus;
• the presence of inflammatory processes in the uterus or vagina;
• incorrect installation of the intrauterine device;
• bacterial vaginosis;
• STIs (syphilis, gonorrhea, donovanosis, trichomoniasis, HPV, genital herpes)
• precancerous and cancerous diseases of the genital organs.

Before menstruation

Pink discharge may appear normally 1-2 days before menstruation.

In some cases, this is considered an absolute norm and there is no reason to worry. At the time of maturation of the egg, the upper layer of the endometrium grows, thereby preparing for the onset of pregnancy. If fertilization does not occur, the endometrium begins to be rejected by the body and menstruation begins. In this case, the presence of pink discharge before menstruation is considered the norm.

Instead of menstruation

The appearance of a small amount of pink discharge instead of menstruation may indicate a pregnancy. It is necessary to use a highly sensitive test in order to understand how to proceed.

If the test showed a negative result, then the appearance of pink discharge instead of menstruation may indicate:

• violation of the thyroid gland, insufficient amount of progesterone in the blood;
• inflammatory processes in the reproductive system;
• serious infectious diseases: rubella, measles, hepatitis;
• pathology of the cervix;
• benign or malignant neoplasms in the uterus, cervix, appendages or vagina.

In these cases, an urgent consultation with a doctor and the appointment of a further examination are necessary.

In the middle of a cycle

In the middle of the menstrual cycle, the hormonal background reaches its peak, ovulation occurs. The inner mucous layer of the uterus – the endometrium – under the influence of estrogen is ready for fertilization. A mature egg must leave the follicle and implant in the endometrium. In the process, a tear of the follicle may occur, which will eventually manifest itself as pinkish discharge in the middle of the cycle.

With smell

Pink discharge in large quantities and with an unpleasant odor is a serious reason to seek advice from a gynecologist. If such discharge appears on a regular basis before the onset of menstruation or in the middle of the cycle, this may indicate the presence of a sluggish pathological process in the body.

Only consultation with a specialist, examination and further examinations will help identify the cause of these symptoms and correct the situation.

Without smell

The presence of pink discharge, as mentioned above, may be due to a large number of factors. The absence of an unpleasant odor indicates that the likelihood of inflammatory processes in the body is small and these discharges can be a physiological norm.

With itching

Pink discharge, accompanied by itching, may indicate injury to the mucosa against the background of candidiasis. Itching can also be a sign of diabetes. With this disease, microcirculation is disturbed, trauma to the mucous membrane of the vagina and vulva increases, causing an unpleasant symptom.

If you notice pink discharge accompanied by itching, seek medical advice immediately. Do not self-medicate, do not complicate your further path to recovery.

No itching

In addition to the presence or absence of itching, you should pay attention to other symptoms that accompany pink discharge. If the discharge does not itch, but is accompanied by an unpleasant odor, you should consult a doctor.

How to treat pink discharge in women

Under no circumstances should you treat pink and any other discharge yourself!

First, it may be a normal physiological process in your body. Secondly, with self-treatment of various accompanying symptoms, there is a risk of aggravating the current situation.

Only a doctor can make a decision on treatment after collecting an anamnesis, examining and conducting additional studies. Do not put off going to the gynecologist and remember – prevention is the best cure. Visit the gynecologist for preventive examinations, even if you have no complaints, once a year, and preferably once every 6 months.

Popular questions and answers

Answered popular questions gynecologist Anna Drumova.

Sources:

1. Ledina A. V. Vaginal discharge: causes, algorithm of patient management and modern approaches to treatment and prevention // Obstetrics and Gynecology: News. Opinions. Learning. 2019. No. 3 (25). https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/vaginalnye-vydeleniya-prichiny-algoritm-vedeniya-patsientok-i-sovremennye-podhody-k-lecheniyu-i-profilaktike
2. Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases accompanied by pathological discharge from the genital tract of women. Moscow, 2019. https://minzdrav.midural.ru/uploads/19.pdf