Is There Any Discharge In Early Pregnancy?

Changes are in abundance once you become pregnant. Such a change is represented by the vaginal discharge. Even a pregnancy test is not able to offer you a positive result just yet, you may have noticed some changes regarding your vaginal secretion and might have felt something is wrong.

Does such a change automatically mean an early pregnancy symptom? What sort of changes should you expect from now on? Will you experience more vaginal discharge in the near future? What about the texture or color of your discharge?

What You Should Expect?

Among the very first pregnancy symptom is a higher amount of vaginal discharge, and this usually goes all the way through the entire pregnancy. According to Dr. Sheryl Ross, an expert in the women`s health, when a woman finds out she is pregnant, the vagina generally starts having its very own personality.

Typical vaginal secretion, more commonly known as leucorrhea, has a mild odor and a thick, rather milky white consistency. Vaginal discharge changes can start even since 1 or 2 weeks from conception, even just before missing a period.

As a pregnancy evolves, this particular secretion generally turns more obvious, and it is somehow heavier towards the end a pregnancy. You might want to stay away from tampons during pregnancy, and wear unscented panty liners.

During the last couple of pregnancy weeks, you might notice your vaginal discharge containing thick mucus streaks along with blood stripes, also known as “show.” This is also considered an early labor symptom and shouldn`t cause any concern.

What If I Notice More Discharge Just Before Period?

Women who choose to track the cervical mucus are aware that it eventually dries up after ovulation.

During the menstrual cycle, the “cycle” of the woman`s cervical mucus should be something similar to:

• Menstruation – bleeding spots/stripes.
• Sticky or dry cervical discharge.
• Clumpy cervical discharge.
• Creamy cervical discharge (similar to lotion).
• Water-like discharge (increased abundance).
• EWCM (the most fertile cervical mucus, impending ovulation symptom).
• Post-ovulation.

You might see a discharge increase just before the period is due. Can this have any relation to a possible pregnancy? Actually, not really! Again, changing levels of estrogen, increased flow of blood, and your cervix becoming prepared for the monthly menstruation might lead to such an increase of water-like discharge.

It isn`t a symptom of pregnancy!

Rectal Discharge during Early Pregnancy

Your lower intestines, which include the anus and rectum, have glands that secrete mucus. This particular mucus lubricates and helps food to pass. Typically, this mucus cannot be seen; however, if you distinguish a discharge of mucus during early pregnancy or in the last few weeks of your “miracle period,” one of the following may cause it:

• Changes in the function of the bowel due to the effects of the hormonal increase while pregnant.
• Nutrition changes or usage of laxatives in the attempt to treat constipation.
• Onset of old bowel illness, like ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome.
• If you normally have anal sex, you may also experience a STI (sexually transmitted infection.

Have a discussion with the doctor about your possible signs so you can benefit of proper medical evaluation, especially if you experience anal or rectal pain.

Passing Tissue

Some women might be worried that the thickened secretion during early pregnancy seems similar to fetal tissue. If you have an abnormal pregnancy before 5 weeks, it`s very unlikely to notice any fetal tissue passed through the cervix. There isn`t simply sufficient fetal tissue to be noticeable, so most likely what you see is just cervical mucus.

Color Changes

During the early pregnancy stages, it is not only about the texture and amount of discharge which may change – it`s about the discharge`s color as well. If you notice your regular transparent discharge turns somehow cloudy, cream-like or a bit whitish, this might be an early pregnancy sign. – Read more!

Slight spotting or brownish discharge is also a potential pregnancy symptom.

Still, pregnancy can`t be confirmed only depending on the discharge color alone. Instead of considering your vaginal secretion needs to be a particular color, seeing possible changes in the color of your discharge may be a lot more accurate in your attempt to determine if you are just noticing an early pregnancy sign.

Vaginal Discharge during the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

During the 3^rd pregnancy trimester, women frequently notice an increase in their vaginal discharge. In fact, this doesn`t really happen due to an actual increase, but rather due to the mucus plug`s impending shedding.

This particular plug stops all kinds of secretion that pass through the cervix, and when this plug is released, it might be a sign of the last pregnancy phase before delivery.

Lots of women out there don`t distinguish the mucus plug`s shedding; however, it might notice a bloody vaginal secretion while pregnant, or spotting, after this plug is “eliminated” by the body.

What You Should Do?

If, by any chance, you notice a vaginal discharge change, focus on the following symptoms which might show you have to contact a doctor:

• Pus-like mucus secretion.
• Your discharge starts getting heavier.
• You experience abdominal cramps and pain.
• You experience fever.
• Your vagina or vulva starts itching.
• You sense a smell.
• Your partner may start complaining of signs of a possible infection.
• Your stringy bloody secretion might last over 2 weeks beyond the middle of the menstrual cycle or becomes heavier or turns brighter red in color.
• White flecks, which might seem like fetal tissue, occur if you`re 5 weeks in your pregnancy, or even more.

What to Avoid?

If you think you`re expecting or are sure you are pregnant, and a vaginal discharge increase worries you, don`t:

• Put the finger in the vagina, or douche; which might interfere with the pregnancy or may lead to a vaginal infection.
• Make use of tampons, which might let bacteria into the vagina.
• Make use of suppositories or creams when it comes to your vagina.
• Take OTCs or herbal drugs before talking to a doctor.
• Have sexual contact before discussing to a doctor.