Vaginal discharge is a watery fluid secreted from the vagina. It’s made up primarily of water, mucus, and a balance of healthy bacteria and yeast, and its job is to maintain the pH of the vagina, lubricate the vagina, and prevent infections. Vaginal discharge is perfectly normal, and it’s also normal for the amount of discharge to ebb and flow throughout the month. If you’re seeing an increase in vaginal discharge before your period or if you are noticing changes in discharge texture, you aren’t alone.
It’s common for vaginal discharge to change before periods, at various points in your menstrual cycle, and during pregnancy. Here, we’ll take a closer look at vaginal discharge before periods, including what discharge looks like before a period, what causes cervical mucus to change before a period, and when vaginal discharge changes might be a reason to visit a healthcare provider.
What Does Discharge Look Like Before A Period?
White discharge and clear discharge without a noticeable smell are considered normal. Before menstruation, the discharge may change in texture and appearance. Typically, the discharge can be white or creamy and might feel gluey to the touch.
Discharge before a period is unique to each woman. It’s usually clear to white, with a creamy or thick texture like moisturizer. Some people notice a small to reasonable amount of vaginal discharge, which might get slightly thicker as their period approaches. It’s also normal to notice an increase in thin, white, milky, and mild-smelling discharge.
Does Discharge Increase Before A Period?
It’s common for vaginal discharge to increase before your
period. As your body gets ready for menstruation, hormone levels change,
affecting the amount and texture of vaginal discharge.”
Women secrete about 2 ml to 5 ml of vaginal discharge every
day, though the amount and texture change throughout the menstrual cycle and a
woman’s lifetime. Some women experience quite a bit of discharge during the
luteal phase before their periods, but it will usually be less than their
regular menstrual flow.
The increase in discharge typically lasts 10 or more days
and helps to lubricate the vagina in preparation for a potential pregnancy.
Most women tend to experience lower levels of vaginal discharge after menopause
due to decreasing estrogen levels.
What Causes Discharge?
As soon as women hit puberty, they begin to have vaginal
discharge. Having vaginal discharge is normal and is nothing to be concerned
about. Vaginal discharge keeps your vagina healthy, balanced, and clean.
Various factors can affect discharge differences before your
period, including hormonal factors, pregnancy, and hormonal birth control.
These are some of the most common causes of vaginal discharge before your
period.
Hormonal fluctuations
By far, the most common cause of vaginal discharge before your period is hormonal changes. Throughout your menstrual cycle, your hormones fluctuate. For example, at the beginning of your cycle, both estrogen and progesterone are low. Toward the middle of your cycle, as your ovaries prepare to release an egg, estrogen levels rise, along with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone. After ovulation, both estrogen and progesterone dominate, and both drop right before your period begins.
In the days leading up to your period, estrogen and progesterone
levels fluctuate. These hormonal changes can stimulate the glands in the cervix
to produce more mucus, leading to increased discharge. Estrogen causes an
increase in cervical mucus that is thinner while progesterone causes an
increase in thicker cervical mucus. Cervical mucus is part of vaginal
discharge.
Hormonal Birth Control
Hormonal contraception, which includes birth control pills,
injections, patches, implants, and hormonal IUDs, can have various side
effects, including nausea, breast tenderness, headaches, mood changes, and
spotting. Changes in vaginal discharge are a lesser-known but common side
effect of hormonal birth control. For example, birth control pills can
"impact the consistency and volume of the discharge.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy often results in an increased volume of discharge because of more blood flow to the pelvic area and increased hormone production. This increased discharge lasts throughout your pregnancy and is called leukorrhea. This type of discharge is thin, white, milky, and has a mild odor.
Most women don’t notice obvious changes in their vaginal
discharge in very early pregnancy, such as right before a missed period. But
for some women, increased discharge can be one of the early indicators of
pregnancy. Another possible early sign of pregnancy is light spotting around
the time you expect your period. This may be a sign of implantation spotting or
bleeding, which occurs when your fertilized egg implants inside the uterine
lining.
Abnormal Causes Of Discharge Before Your Period
Hormonal changes, birth control side effects, and pregnancy
are all normal and common causes of vaginal discharge before your period. At
times, though, infections and other health conditions may cause discharge
changes before your period. These are not normal and may require a visit to
your healthcare provider. Here’s what to know.
Yeast infections
Yeast infections, known as Candida, occur because of an
overgrowth of yeast or fungus in the vagina. This can cause all kinds of
uncomfortable symptoms, such as itching and burning. It can also cause changes
in your vaginal discharge, including before your period. Yeast infections can
cause thick, white, cottage cheese-like discharge. If you have these symptoms,
it could be a sign of an infection and you should visit a healthcare provider
for care.
STIs
Before your period, you may have changes in your vaginal discharge due to a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Numerous organisms, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasma, and trichomoniasis, are responsible for STIs. In addition to unusual vaginal discharge and bleeding, STIs can also cause swelling, lumps, warts, blisters, burning, itching, and pain during urine or intercourse.
In contrast to typical menstrual cycle-related discharge,
certain STIs, such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, can cause irregularities in the
color, consistency, and odor of the discharge. Along with increased discharge,
you can also notice foul-smelling discharge. See your doctor to rule out STIs
if your discharge is yellow, green, unusually thick, or offensive-smelling.
Depending on the STI for which you have been diagnosed, there are a variety of
treatment choices, such as antiviral drugs and antibiotics.
Bacterial vaginosis
The most prevalent vaginal infection in women and girls in
their adolescent years who are fertile is bacterial vaginosis. It is brought on
by the typical vaginal bacteria overgrowing. Changes in your vaginal discharge
are one of its most typical symptoms, and you can notice them at any point
during your cycle, including the day before your period. An extremely thin,
grayish discharge with a fishy odor can be a sign of bacterial vaginosis.
When To See Your Healthcare Provider
You may be unsure of what steps to take if you've discovered
that you tend to be discharge-prone, whether it's before or after your period.
For the most part, there's nothing you have to do. For many women, experiencing
a significant quantity of discharge is typical and frequently a normal and
natural aspect of their monthly cycle.
Women shouldn't judge themselves by the standards of others
or what they consider to be a "normal" discharge. Everybody has a
different discharge, even in terms of volume and consistency. The most crucial
thing is to know what your normal is.
On the other hand, you might need to see a doctor for advice or treatment if you experience certain symptoms of vaginal discharge. The most revealing sign of a problem is a sudden, dramatic change in the vaginal discharge's smell, color, or texture, as well as any associated symptoms like pain or itching. See your healthcare practitioner if your discharge is painful or itchy, smells bad, or is brown, green, or yellow.
Any one of these signs could be a sign of an infection or
something else more serious. A visit with a healthcare professional should be
recommended for any symptom that raises concerns or any sudden change in
vaginal discharge.
Conclusion
Although white discharge before to menstruation is frequently typical, variations in color, consistency, or odor could point to a problem. Maintaining vaginal health requires knowledge of the origins, symptoms, and when to seek medical assistance.
