5 facts about vaginal discharge every woman should know

Although vaginal discharge can be a source of embarrassment or even concern for some, it plays a key role when it comes to reproductive health.

But what exactly is it made of? And what’s normal — and what’s not — when it comes to vaginal discharge? Here’s what you need to know, according to experts.

No. 1: Vaginal discharge is normal

Discharge is typically a clear or whitish fluid that comes from the vagina. Having some vaginal discharge throughout the monthly cycle is not only normal but also common.

“Most women or people with vaginas do have discharge from the vagina,” Dr. Alyssa Dweck, a New York-based gynecologist and co-author of The Complete A to Z for Your V, tells Yahoo Life. She adds that even though having vaginal discharge can carry a stigma for some, people “shouldn’t feel shame about that,” she says.

No. 2: Discharge helps keep vaginas healthy

The vagina has been referred to as a “self-cleaning oven,” says Dweck, because of its ability to clean itself naturally — and discharge plays an essential role in that. “The vagina is an amazing organ,” she adds.

Vaginal discharge contains “mucus from the cervix and fluid from the vagina itself,” says Dweck, along with bacteria and sloughed off cells from the vagina, cervix and uterus. Discharge is “mainly a way for the vagina to keep itself healthy and maintain a normal microbiome,” says Dweck.

The fluid also helps protect against harmful bacteria and infections, according to the Cleveland Clinic. More specifically, the vaginal microbiome contains “a ton of great bacteria called Lactobacilli.” The bacteria produce lactic acid, which research shows kills or inhibits the growth of many other bacteria, keeping them in check.

No. 3: It helps with sex

Vaginal discharge also helps with lubrication both for sex and to keep vaginal tissues from becoming dry and itchy. “Women need some moisture in the vagina to be able to have comfortable sex,” Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life.

Dweck agrees, saying, “Nature intended for the vagina to be super moist to facilitate sperm movement and comfortable sex.”

The vagina itself doesn’t contain any glands, however. Instead, Minkin explains that “vaginal moisture actually comes from good blood flow to the pelvis and the vagina.” During arousal, fluid (called vaginal transudate) “gets transmitted by the bloodstream to the vagina and goes into the vagina,” she says. In other words, increased blood flow pushes fluid from the blood vessels and into the vaginal walls, creating lubrication.

No. 4: How much discharge your body produces can vary

The amount of vaginal discharge a woman’s body makes varies from person to person. Some naturally produce a lot of discharge, while others make only a little. Discharge quantity, as well as texture, can also change at different points in the monthly cycle — and, for those of reproductive age, those changes can even let you know when you’re about to ovulate.

For example, as you get closer to ovulation, vaginal discharge increases and becomes more sticky. But right before or during ovulation the consistency shifts, becoming thin, watery and slippery like raw egg whites, says Dweck, thanks to “hormone changes that prompt those secretions.” A good way to gauge the consistency of discharge is to rub some between your thumb and index finger and then try to pull the fingers apart, according to Planned Parenthood.

No. 5: Changes in vaginal discharge can signal an infection

The healthy bacteria in vaginas do a good job of keeping harmful bacteria in check. However, “anything that alters that — whether it’s a tampon, douche or sex — can change that,” says Dweck, by throwing off the delicate balance and leading to irritation or in some cases, an infection.

Changes in the usual color, texture or odor of your vaginal discharge can be a sign of infection. Normal discharge may have a slight scent, for example, but it typically doesn’t have a strong odor. “Scent becomes an odor when there’s an infection,” says Dweck.

The major types of infections are bacterial vaginosis (BV) — the most common vaginal infection — yeast and trichomoniasis (a protozoan parasite). “The bacterial infections are usually an overgrowth of some bad bacteria — not an STI,” explains Minkin. “Yeast infections are caused indeed by yeast, and trichomonas is an amoeba-type organism, which is usually spread by sexual contact.”

Minkin explains that both bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis can cause a fishy, “unpleasant” odor, while a yeast infection “usually, well, smells like yeast.”

Discharge color can also clue you in to an infection. Minkin points out that discharge from bacterial infections such as BV can be grayish in color, while trichomoniasis is usually greenish-yellow. A yeast infection, meanwhile, typically produces white discharge with a “cottage cheesy” appearance, according to Minkin. “All of them can cause irritation,” she says. “Yeast classically itches.”

For a yeast infection, you can try an over-the-counter yeast treatment product “if you believe it is yeast and have had it before,” says Minkin. However, both BV and trichomoniasis need to be treated with antibiotics.

In general, if a strong odor or a change in discharge color or consistency persists, “you do want to check in with your gyn health care provider, who can help treat a particular infection if identified,” says Minkin, who points out that sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can also affect vaginal discharge and warrant a doctor’s visit.

Above all, says Dweck, “Know what’s normal for you and get checked out if something seems off.”

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