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Vaginal discharge

Vaginal discharge is fluid or mucus that keeps your vagina clean and moist, and protects it from infection.
It's normally white or clear and has minimal smell.
It can vary in thickness and amount over your menstrual cycle, becoming clear and slippery near ovulation and thicker and tacky after ovulation.
During pregnancy, vaginal discharge is thicker and white-cream colour.
If your discharge changes (smell, colour or texture) it might be a sign of an infection, so seek advice.

Normal vaginal discharge is clear or white. It has a slight but not unpleasant smell.

For most women discharge:

becomes more obvious near ovulation, when it is clear, slippery and stretchy (similar to raw egg white) for 1 to 4 days
becomes thicker and tacky after ovulation
is not noticeable once menstruation begins
is light after menstruation, and then as ovulation approaches, the amount increases again.

During pregnancy, vaginal discharge is thicker and white-cream in colour.

If your discharge changes, eg, in smell, colour or texture, it might be a sign of an infection.

Unusual vaginal discharge is most commonly due to bacterial vaginosis.

Symptom	Possible cause
Smells fishy	Bacterial vaginosis
Thick and white, like cottage cheese with itching skin, irritation and pain with sex	Thrush
Green, yellow or frothy with itching, skin irritation and pain or bleeding with sex	Trichomoniasis
Often no discharge but can have pelvic pain or bleeding	Chlamydia or gonorrhoea
Generally, no discharge but can get blisters or sores	Genital herpes

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of causes of vaginal discharge.

your discharge changes colour, smell or texture
you produce more discharge than usual
you feel itchy or sore
you bleed between periods or after sex
you get pain when peeing or with sex
you get pain in your lower belly (pelvic pain)
you have redness, pain, or swelling around the vulva (the area of skin around the outside of your vagina)
you are feeling unwell with a fever.

Family Planning and sexual health clinics have doctors and nurses who can treat problems with your genitals and urine system.

Most clinics offer a walk-in service, where you don't need an appointment. You may need to wait for a while.

Find a clinic near me:

To help prevent irritation, soreness, or dryness:

Do:

wash your vulva (the area of skin around the outside of the vagina) gently every day – is easily cleaned by running water over it in the shower
use water only to clean your vulva – avoid soaps and other 'hygiene' products
wipe from front to back after a bowel motion and urination (peeing)
pat your vulva dry rather than rubbing it after a shower or bath
change your tampons/pads regularly when menstruating
use a pH neutral water-based product, if a lubricant is needed for sex.

Don’t:

do not use soaps, gels, scented bath products, or bubble baths
do not use deodorants or scented hygiene wipes (ie, 'baby wipes')
do not douche (wash the inside of your vagina)
do not use scented panty liners and avoid using panty liners when you do not have your period
do not use spermicides or scented lubricants
do not waste your money on unproven products marketed to improve vaginal health, like probiotics
do not use antiseptics.