Is it good or bad for women to have more vaginal discharge? The gynecologist at Xingyi Sunshine Hospital says that having more vaginal discharge is neither good nor bad in itself; the key is to understand the reasons for the increased discharge. During a woman’s normal physiological cycle, such as during ovulation and the luteal phase, vaginal discharge may increase, which is a normal physiological phenomenon. This type of discharge is usually colorless or white, clear or slightly viscous in texture, odorless, and typically accompanied by a stretchy sensation.
However, if increased vaginal discharge is accompanied by changes in color, odor, itching in the genital area, or other symptoms, this could indicate pathological reasons such as vaginitis, cervicitis, or pelvic inflammatory disease. In such cases, increased vaginal discharge is a negative health signal that requires prompt medical attention to identify the specific cause and receive appropriate treatment.
Causes of Increased Vaginal Discharge:
The increased vaginal discharge may be caused by various reasons, mainly classified as physiological and pathological reasons:
1. Physiological Reasons
1. Ovulation Discharge: During a woman’s normal menstrual cycle, there is an increase in discharge during ovulation, which resembles egg whites and comes with a stretchy texture.
2. Luteal Phase Discharge: After ovulation, during the luteal phase influenced by the hormones secreted by the corpus luteum, there can also be an increase in vaginal discharge, which at this time is white and pasty without any odor.
2. Pathological Reasons
1. Vaginitis: Infections like fungal vaginitis, trichomonal vaginitis, bacterial vaginitis, etc., can lead to increased vaginal discharge, which may be curd-like, yellow-green, foamy, or foul-smelling.
2. Cervicitis: Increased vaginal discharge could be a sign of cervicitis. Acute cervicitis may cause increased discharge, lower back pain, discomfort in the lower abdomen.
3. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Includes endometritis, salpingitis, and ovarian inflammation; these conditions can also cause increased vaginal discharge along with symptoms like lower back pain, lower abdominal discomfort, lower abdominal pain, lower back pain, and feeling fatigued.
4. Tumors: In the late stages of certain malignant tumors, or when a submucosal uterine fibroid protrudes and becomes infected, there can be an increase in vaginal discharge with a foul odor.
5. Uterine Fibroids: Uterine fibroids can lead to an increase in uterine endometrial surface area, causing increased secretions.
Xingyi Sunshine Hospital kindly reminds female friends to observe their vaginal discharge regularly. If any abnormal odor, color, or other symptoms are noticed, they should promptly visit a reputable specialist gynecological hospital for examination, scientific treatment, and to avoid worsening conditions and serious consequences.
