The Ultimate Guide: Early Pregnancy Discharge (2024)
What we’ll cover in this post:
What is vaginal discharge?
Vaginal discharge is a secretion that is made up of fluids and cells from your vagina, uterus, and cervix. Vaginal discharge may range from clear and watery to white and milky.
At some points throughout your menstrual cycle, you may notice more discharge on your underwear, no discharge at all, or changes in the color and consistency of your discharge.
If you pay attention to the timing that your vaginal discharge changes, it can give you some insight about what’s going on in your body. Your vaginal discharge can help tell you when you’re in your fertile window and it may even give you a hint that you’re pregnant before you miss your period!
Can you tell you’re pregnant by your discharge?
Unfortunately, there is not a black and white answer. If you are someone who is very in tune with your body and your menstrual cycles, you may be able to detect a change in your vaginal discharge very early in pregnancy.
For some people, an early sign of pregnancy is an increase in vaginal discharge. If you’re due for your period any day now and you’re suddenly noticing a ton of vaginal discharge on your underwear, that may signal you to take a pregnancy test!
Do not be discouraged if you are trying to get pregnant and you are not noticing a change in your vaginal discharge. While some people may notice a change right away, other people may not even realize their vaginal discharge has changed.
Others may not notice an increase in vaginal discharge until well into the first trimester of pregnancy.
Vaginal discharge and Natural Family Planning (NFP)
Natural family planning or “fertility awareness” is a natural contraceptive method. You can also use natural family planning as a way to help try to conceive.
Natural family planning uses things like:
Temperature tracking (basal body temperature or BBT)
Basal body temperature (BBT) is your body’s lowest temperature that is usually attained during rest. Some people check their temperature every morning before getting out of bed to help determine when ovulation will take place.
Monitoring the timing of your periods
Tracking cervical position (high, medium, or low)
Tracking cervical texture (soft, medium, or firm)
Another aspect of natural family planning is tracking cervical mucus or vaginal discharge.
Vaginal discharge throughout your cycle:
For the first few days after your period, you tend to be more dry – little to no vaginal discharge.
Then your hormone levels begin to rise as your body prepares to release an egg (ovulate). You may notice your vaginal discharge becomes sticky, white, and creamy – maybe like school glue consistency
Right before you release an egg (ovulate), your vaginal discharge will become clear, watery, and stretchy – similar to raw egg whites
This is when you want to have sex if you are trying to conceive or avoid sex if you are trying to avoid a pregnancy
Before your period begins again, your vaginal discharge will go back to a thick and sticky consistency
Because everyone is different, you may not follow this exact pattern. If you consistently track and monitor your cycles and your vaginal discharge, you will learn what your “normal” is.
There are many apps you can download to make it easier to track these things!
Ovulation Bleeding or “Breakthrough Bleeding”
Ovulation bleeding/spotting only occurs in about 5% of people! It’s possible that it occurs more often, but most people may not even notice it.
Ovulation bleeding has very similar characteristics as implantation bleeding, except the timing. Ovulation bleeding occurs because there is a hormonal shift, which may cause the uterine lining to shed a bit.
While ovulation bleeding is not directly related to pregnancy, it can help you confirm ovulation if you have regular menstrual cycles.
Ovulation bleeding is typically:
Light pink in color
Not enough to soak a panty liner
Only lasts a day or less
Some symptoms that may accompany ovulation bleeding/spotting include:
Cramping
Nausea
Sore/tender breasts
Bloating
Increased libido
Breakthrough bleeding or spotting is any bleeding that occurs outside of your period. This can be ovulation spotting, implantation bleeding, or spotting/bleeding for other reasons. Breakthrough bleeding can be common for those who use hormonal birth control.
Implantation Bleeding
Another reason some people may suspect they’re pregnant is implantation bleeding. Implantation bleeding typically occurs around the time you would expect your period. Implantation bleeding may happen when the fertilized egg is embedding itself into your uterus.
Implantation bleeding only occurs in about 25% of pregnancies, so you may not experience it at all!
Just like with changes in vaginal discharge; do not be discouraged if you are trying to conceive and you do not experience implantation bleeding. It happens in such a small amount of pregnancies!
Menstrual blood is usually bright red, while implantation bleeding is often:
Light pink
Brown
Very light in amount
Only lasts 1-3 days
Not enough to soak a panty liner
Some other signs of implantation include:
Implantation bleeding/spotting
Cramping
Nausea
Bloating
Sore breasts
Headache
Mood swings
Change in basal body temperature (BBT)
Most of these signs are identical to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, which is why “symptom spotting” while trying to conceive (TTC) can be super frustrating!
How early in pregnancy does discharge change?
Some pregnant folks may notice a change in their vaginal discharge as soon as one to two weeks after conception. Others may not notice a change until well into the first trimester.
The reason your discharge changes in early pregnancy is to help form a mucus plug. A mucus plug is exactly what it sounds like: a chunk of mucus that essentially blocks your cervical opening to help protect your uterus and baby from any outside bacteria.
Throughout a pregnancy, your mucus plug can come out a bit and it can also regenerate. For some, losing their mucus plug is one of the first signs of labor! Usually if you lose your mucus plug at the beginning of labor it can be brownish or pinkish in color. If you lose it later in labor it’s often bright red, a signal that your body is dilating and progressing nicely!
What color is vaginal discharge during pregnancy?
Typically, in early pregnancy, vaginal discharge becomes white, milky, and abundant.
Sometimes, the discharge is so abundant that pregnant folks choose to wear panty liners throughout the day so they don’t have to keep changing their underwear. Who said pregnancy wasn’t glamorous?
Spotting during pregnancy
Some people experience spotting or light bleeding in early pregnancy. There are a few reasons why this may occur. Spotting/light bleeding can be totally normal, but sometimes it can also be a cause for concern.
Since there is more blood flow to your uterus and cervix during pregnancy, light bleeding may occur easier than it would if you were not pregnant.
Reasons for spotting or light bleeding in early pregnancy:
Implantation bleeding
Penetrative sex
Penetrative masturbation
Cervical/gynecological exams
Heavy lifting or excessive exercise
Subchorionic hematoma - This happens when a small portion of the placenta detaches from the uterine wall. These can either be large or small. Small ones are pretty common and account for about 20% of all early pregnancy bleeding. Bleeding at any stage of pregnancy is always scary, but in many cases of subchorionic hematomas you and baby are completely fine. If you are experiencing new or heavy bleeding during pregnancy, you should always consult your healthcare provider.
When to be concerned about discharge
First and foremost, you know your body best. If there is ever anything concerning and out of the ordinary for YOU, you should always talk to your doctor.
Vaginal discharge can look different for everyone. Some characteristics of healthy vaginal discharge are:
Clear/watery
White/milky
Cloudy
Stretchy
Creamy
It is so important to explore your body and learn what is normal for you. Knowing your normal can help you quickly detect a change in your body, whether that change is a pregnancy, an infection, or another concern.
When to call your provider about vaginal discharge:
Vaginal discharge that has a bad or fishy odor
This can be a sign of bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is basically just a disruption of the normal bacteria found in the vagina. BV is treated with antibiotics and/or vaginal cream.
A change in vaginal discharge accompanied by irritation
Vaginal discharge that becomes thick/clumpy accompanied by irritation may be a sign of a vaginal yeast infection. A yeast infection is a fungal infection caused by a disruption of the vagina’s normal flora.
Vaginal discharge that is green or yellow
Vaginas require a very delicate pH balance. The slightest thing can cause the pH to go out of whack.
Some things that may affect the pH of the vagina and lead to BV, yeast infections, and irritation are:
Sex
Semen
Scented soaps
Lotions
Laundry detergents
Douching
Tampons/panty liners/pads/menstrual cups
Pregnancy hormones and vaginal discharge
As if vaginas aren’t temperamental enough, the hormones that come along with pregnancy can cause some issues, too. Pregnancy hormones can increase your risk of vaginal yeast infections and can also interfere with how your vagina lubricates itself. You may need to use extra lubricant during sex/masturbation if you are becoming irritated during those times.
If you are experiencing any unpleasant changes in your vaginal discharge or if you’re having vaginal discomfort, pregnant or not, you should always make an appointment with your healthcare provider.
Never be embarrassed to talk with your healthcare provider about vaginal discomfort, vaginal odor, and vaginal discharge.
The Takeaway
Vaginal discharge is always changing! Being in tune with your body and learning about what’s normal for you can be really helpful in pinpointing changes in your body.
Noticing a change in your vaginal discharge may even be able to give you some insight as to whether you are pregnant or not!
Early pregnancy discharge may be very abundant and milky in color.
Your vaginal discharge may also signal you that something is wrong, like an infection.
If you are ever concerned about your vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, you should always seek the advice of your healthcare provider.
🤍 The [M]otherboard Team
