Vaginal discharge: what white discharge and brown discharge indicate

As gynecologists at war with douching often repeat, the woman’s vagina is self-cleaning. That is, there is no need to wash it inside, since it takes care of it itself by removing everything that needs to be washed away. vaginal discharge.

The consistency of these can vary a lot from one woman to another, from one cycle to another and especially from one moment of the menstrual cycle to another. Because vaginal discharge includes cervical mucus, secreted by the cervix to facilitate, or on the contrary compromise, the passage of spermatozoa to the uterus.

It is thus possible to observe vaginal discharge of white, transparent, brown or even pinkish color.

White discharge: is it a sign of pregnancy?

While white discharge is generally observed throughout the menstrual cycle, it is particularly severe in the second part of the cycle, or luteal phase, after ovulation. The cervix is ​​then closed, and the cervical mucus thickens to act as a physical barrier, thus protecting the uterus from bacteria. The losses can then be described as creamy, thick and abundant or even milky.

Because they are under the influence of progesterone, a hormone that will increase if pregnancy occurs, so white discharge can be a sign of pregnancy, although the best sign is obviously the absence of periods and the presence of beta-HCG hormone secreted by the embryo. Having white discharge while pregnant is quite common., since the cervix is ​​a priori well closed and the progesterone level continues to increase.

In the absence of pregnancy, white discharge before menstruation will become rarer and less abundant to give way to bleeding, or menstruation.

Brown losses before, instead of, or after your period: what it means

The brown or brown discharge correspond in fact to vaginal discharge mixed with old blood, which has oxidized in the uterus or vagina, resulting in this color change. Brown discharge therefore corresponds to blood which dates from one or more days and which is evacuated with the classic vaginal discharge.

We can have brown losses in the middle of the cycle, due to ovulation or inadequate hormonal contraception (too much or not enough hormones for example), which causes what is called spotting. Note that the implantation causes light bleeding in some women, bleeding which can manifest as brown discharge in the days that follow, and can then be a sign of a new pregnancy. But the brown discharge most often occurs before or after the rules, and should not worry in this case of figure, since it is only old blood which is drained.

On the other hand, if brown or brown discharge is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, itching or bad odor, it is advisable to consult a gynecologist, as it may be avaginal infection (vaginosis, yeast infection, etc.) or due to a uterine anomaly, such as the presence of a uterine fibroid. Around the age of onset of menopause, brown discharge may be a sign of premenopause.

Finally, if brown discharge can occur during pregnancy without this being a bad sign for the future, they must be taken seriously because they can be a symptom of an egg detachment, placental hematoma or risk of miscarriage. In the presence of brown discharge during pregnancy, it is therefore better to consult a gynecologist, especially if these are accompanied by pelvic pain.