The nature of discharge before menstruation: normal or pathological options

Should women have premenstrual discharge?

The glands of the vagina constantly produce mucous secretion. The functioning of the glands is affected by changes in hormonal levels. Closer to menstruation, progesterone levels increase. This leads to the endometrium (the inner surface of the uterus) swelling, and the secretory activity of the vaginal glands increases.

The question of whether there should be discharge before menstruation can be answered in the affirmative. Small stains on underwear or pads that are not accompanied by a deterioration in health (burning, pain, itching) should not cause concern.

The absence of discharge before menstruation may indicate insufficient estrogen production, or may be a consequence of physiological reasons. In addition to hormonal levels, the secretory activity of the vaginal glands is influenced by age, regularity of intimate life, dietary habits, use of contraception and some other factors.

If you have any concerns, you should consult your doctor

What are there

First of all, it is worth considering what the discharge in women before menstruation consists of. The composition of the discharge includes:

• secretion products of the cervical canal and vagina;
• exfoliated dead epithelial cells;
• lactobacilli and opportunistic microorganisms (comprise the vaginal microflora).

Secretion is necessary to cleanse and renew the vaginal walls and its volume varies depending on the menstrual phase.

What kind of discharge occurs before menstruation depends on the secretory function, the nature of the vaginal microflora and other changes in the body. The color of the discharge can suggest possible problems with women's health.

Transparent as egg white

The reason why discharge appears like egg white may be natural physiological changes or diseases. In a healthy woman, before her period, clear, egg-white-like discharge can be caused by:

• conception;
• increased progesterone production;
• sexual arousal.

But the cause of the appearance of discharge, which resembles egg white in appearance, may also be pathological factors:

• vaginal dysbiosis;
• genitourinary infections;
• exacerbation of chronic gynecological diseases;
• hormonal disorders.

In a healthy woman, discharge, like egg white, does not cause discomfort. The appearance of pain, itching or other additional symptoms is a reason to visit a gynecologist.

Normally, such discharge should not bother you

White

If there is no unpleasant odor or signs of deterioration in health, then there is no reason to worry.

If you experience discomfort with leucorrhoea, you must undergo an examination. The cause may be hormonal imbalance, pregnancy or gynecological diseases.

Beige

Before menstruation, particles of the endometrium gradually begin to exfoliate in the uterus and beige discharge appears, which gradually turns into menstruation. But the appearance of beige mucus before menstrual bleeding is not always a sign of normal menstruation. If the color change occurs more than a day before menstruation, then this may be the first sign of the following conditions:

• gynecological diseases;
• hymen rupture (during first sex);
• vaginal injuries;
• taking hormonal contraceptives;
• failure to maintain intimate hygiene.

The reason for the appearance of beige vaginal secretion may be a change in contraceptives, allergies, a strict diet or “non-breathable” panties.

Pink

This shade indicates a slight admixture of blood in the vaginal discharge. Pink discharge before menstruation is often a harbinger of menstrual bleeding.

If vaginal mucus turns pinkish a few days before your period, the cause may be cervical erosion or vaginal trauma.

Cream

In a healthy woman, creamy discharge is a sign of full ovulation and a harbinger of menstruation. But a similar symptom occurs during conception, inflammation of the reproductive organs or allergies.

Yellow

If there are no additional symptoms, then light yellow discharge before menstruation is a harbinger of menstruation. When the yellow vaginal secretion has a rich color, an unpleasant odor, or discomfort appears in the perineum, then this is a sign of inflammation of the pelvic organs, sexually transmitted diseases or allergies.

Bloody

Minor spotting before menstruation occurs in about a third of women.
A small admixture of blood indicates the beginning of endometrial detachment and the approach of critical days. The appearance of blood in vaginal secretion can also be caused by taking birth control pills, an intrauterine device, or using ointments or suppositories.

You need to pay attention not only to the color, but also to the volume of the secreted secretion. When the pad is heavily soiled and the discharge is scarlet or bright red, this may be a sign of bleeding from the vagina or uterus.

Dark

The cause of dark discharge before menstruation is often infectious and non-infectious gynecological diseases, hormonal disorders, surgery on the reproductive organs or neoplasms.

But this is not always a sign of pathology. Darkening of the secretion can occur when the vagina is injured during sex or a gynecological examination.

Brown

Most often, the appearance of brown mucus indicates that your period will begin soon. A change in the color of the secretion should not cause a deterioration in well-being.

Pain in the lower abdomen, temperature, burning or itching in the perineum and other additional symptoms accompanying the appearance of brown vaginal discharge indicate a pathological process. It is necessary to visit a gynecologist to identify the cause.

Black

Normally, black discharge should not appear before menstruation. “Blackening” of vaginal secretion can be caused by:

• malignant neoplasms;
• inflammation of the reproductive system;
• ectopic pregnancy;
• ovarian cyst;
• polyposis of the vagina or uterus.

The cause of black vaginal secretion can be age-related changes, when before the onset of menopause the nature of the vaginal discharge changes.

When analyzing which discharge before menstruation is normal and which is a sign of a disease, you should pay attention not only to color, but also to consistency, as well as to the time when changes in secretion appear.

Features of discharge during early pregnancy

It should be understood that the nature of vaginal secretion cannot change much from the first days after conception. As a rule, 5-6 or 7-8 days pass before the first signs appear. It is during this period that the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. There are cases that throughout the entire period of gestation the nature of the secretion does not change at all.

Why might there be slight bleeding? Many gynecologists hear this question from their patients. The fact is that blood smears the underwear if the egg attaches to the endometrium. This process is accompanied by rupture of the blood vessels that cover the reproductive organ. This type of uterine bleeding is considered normal and is often observed 8-9 days after fertilization. It is worth noting that some women do not have this sign, which is also considered normal.

By the nature of the consistency

A change in the nature of discharge before critical days is often the first sign of the development of pathology. It is important to pay attention to the consistency of the vaginal discharge.

Watery

A slight dilution of the secretion occurs under the influence of progesterone. If watery discharge appears before menstruation, then gynecological inflammatory diseases should be suspected.

Discharge, like water, regularly appearing on the eve of menstruation indicates illness. It is necessary to undergo an examination to identify the cause of the deviation.

Mucous

Secretion of mucus is necessary to cleanse the vagina of particles of exfoliated epithelium and protect the reproductive organs from the penetration of an infectious agent. Mucous discharge before menstruation appears due to the influence of progesterone, which enhances the secretory activity of the glands.

Thick mucus may appear after taking certain medications (antibiotics, hormones) or after changing an intimate partner.

There is no cause for concern if the secretion is clear or whitish and does not have an unpleasant odor. When the secretion smells unpleasant or has changed color, you need to undergo an examination to identify the cause.

Discharge during the fertile period

Creamy

White or transparent creamy discharge before menstruation may be normal or indicate a violation of the vaginal microflora. This consistency of discharge often becomes a harbinger of vaginal dysbiosis.

Spotting

The appearance of spotting before menstruation is a natural physiological process. The shedding of the epithelium inside the uterus occurs gradually and “spotting” within 6-24 hours before menstrual bleeding indicates a normal course of menstruation.

When mucus smears a few days before menstruation, this indicates hormonal disorders, erosion and some other diseases.

Curdled

With thrush, a white, curd-like discharge with a sour-milk odor appears. Additionally, the woman feels itching and burning. A week before your period, the symptoms of candidiasis intensify.

Strong and abundant

Heavy discharge before menstruation can be provoked by external reasons:

• allergies to hygiene products;
• taking antibiotics or hormones;
• uncomfortable underwear.

Under the influence of physiological factors, abundant transparent discharge appears that does not cause concern.

A sign of the disease is constant heavy discharge before menstruation with the appearance of an uncharacteristic color or heterogeneous consistency.

What else will help you recognize an interesting situation?

Differences in discharge before menstruation and during pregnancy are not the only symptom of an interesting situation. If you suspect pregnancy, pay attention to the accompanying signs that will not allow you to make a mistake. This:

• morning sickness, malaise;
• failure to achieve full menstruation, despite previous symptoms;
• changes in the breasts (nipples become more tender, veins on the breasts enlarge, lumps on the halo become larger);
• constant fatigue associated with changes in metabolism;
• frequent urination;
• constipation, flatulence;
• nasal congestion, signs of a cold;
• changes in the acuity of smell and taste;
• emotional instability;
• high basal temperature (this indicator is extremely difficult to control, since preliminary measurements are required for 2 months).

What does normal look like?

What kind of discharge should be before menstruation is influenced by age, progesterone level and a number of other characteristics of the female body. But there are general characteristics that are an indicator of a woman’s health:

• thick consistency (similar to mucus or cream);
• moderate volume (spot on the gasket with a diameter of up to 5 cm);
• homogeneous consistency (minor whitish inclusions are allowed);
• light (have a white, cream or yellowish tint);
• do not cause irritation to the vagina and external organs.

A brownish tint to the discharge can be caused by an installed intrauterine device or taking hormonal contraceptives.

If the discharge is curdled, you need to consult a doctor.

Special situations

There are specific signs that can usually occur very early in pregnancy. But it should immediately be noted that they are not characteristic of everyone and not always. These first of all include the discharge that sometimes accompanies the period of implantation of the fertilized egg.

Implantation bleeding

There is a reasonable explanation for this phenomenon, but it is not very clear why this happens for some women and not for others. According to statistics, about 32% of women report some changes in discharge during the implantation period. When the fertilized egg immerses, the small blood vessels of the endometrium are destroyed, and therefore the blood that comes out of them may well come out through natural routes - through the vagina. Implantation bleeding is pink, brown spotting that appears for no apparent reason approximately 7-9 days after ovulation.

These discharges are not always noticed by a woman, since their amount is insignificant - no more than 5 ml. Such discharge may be ordinary - white or yellow, and only upon careful examination will it be possible to detect small inclusions of blood streaks in it.

If this does not happen, then this is not a pathology. For most women, as can be seen from statistics, implantation is not accompanied by any signs or symptoms at all, and therefore this day goes unnoticed.

Those who see such discharge often think that there has been a menstrual irregularity, and that their period simply came a week earlier. And they are quite surprised that after just a day there is no trace left of the discharge. The discharge does not increase in intensity, does not contain blood clots, and is not represented by pure scarlet blood.

Implantation secretion is not dangerous for either the woman or the baby, it cannot harm pregnancy in its first days, does not increase the likelihood of pathologies or complications, and does not indicate the threat of miscarriage. It’s simple—either it exists or it doesn’t. Additionally, during the implantation period, a woman may experience slight dizziness, the taste of a metal coin in her mouth, a slight increase in body temperature to 37 degrees or slightly higher, fatigue and a desire to do nothing.

Thrush

Many ladies who managed to conceive a child in the current cycle, according to reviews, claim that they developed thrush after ovulation. Vaginal candidiasis should not be considered a sign of pregnancy. Rather, it is a sign of decreased immunity. This is another of the wide range of actions of the hormone progesterone. If a woman has previously been treated at least once for infection with Candida fungi, then with a high level of progesterone and an associated decrease in immune defense, thrush simply manifests itself.

Brown discharge instead of menstruation

The reason that brownish leucorrhoea occurs instead of menstruation may be the beginning of pregnancy, premenopause, taking hormonal contraceptives or medications to increase blood clotting.

The appearance of brown discharge is not always harmless. Serious pathologies such as fibroids, tumor processes of the reproductive organs, or ectopic attachment of the fertilized egg often provoke changes in menstrual discharge.

If brown mucus occurs instead of menstrual bleeding, you should urgently undergo an examination. Timely detection of the disease will reduce the risk of complications.

Possible complications and consequences

Any pathologies of the reproductive system carry a certain danger, as they jeopardize the ability to bear and give birth to a child. It is very important to consult a doctor in time to identify and treat diseases. Disturbed microflora contributes to the proliferation of pathogens, which, in turn, can lead to serious diseases. Various neoplasms can transform into malignant ones, which can be fatal.

Abnormal vaginal discharge can be a sign of serious illness. Even seemingly harmless thrush sometimes indicates the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, diabetes mellitus and other pathologies. Therefore, curdled discharge, burning and itching require medical examination.

Many disorders of the female reproductive system can have a detrimental effect on further pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, in order to avoid possible complications, at the first symptoms of malfunction of the genital organs, be it an unpleasant smell of discharge, a suspicious color, burning, itching, or delayed menstruation, you must consult a doctor.

What does secretion depend on?

The nature of leucorrhoea before regulation depends on many factors:

• age indicator. In adolescents, shortly before their first menstruation, various changes occur in the body and hormonal background, which may result in discharge of different composition and intensity. Over the course of 1-2 years after menarche, hormonal “swings” also occur, which often provoke the secretion of mucus of varying characteristics, especially during ovulation and on the eve of regulation;
• sexual activity;
• balanced diet and bad habits;
• the presence of diseases in acute and chronic forms;
• general state of immunity and hormonal balance;
• taking hormonal medications and hormonal contraceptives, both systemic and emergency contraception.

Since there are many factors that affect the color and consistency of discharge before regulation, the norm will be individual for each woman.

Treatment

If discharge on the eve of menstruation is physiological and is considered normal, then this condition does not require special treatment. It is enough to adhere to personal hygiene standards, and if there is excessive secretion, use panty liners.

Treatment of pathological leucorrhoea is prescribed exclusively by a doctor, after carrying out diagnostic measures and establishing an accurate diagnosis. If the cause of the abnormal secretion is inflammatory processes, douching with herbal decoctions of oak bark and chamomile may be prescribed. But for infectious diseases, douching, on the contrary, is strictly prohibited, as it can provoke the spread of infection throughout the body.

If fungi and pathogenic bacteria are found in vaginal smears, then drug treatment with suppositories, suppositories, ointments and creams can be used to suppress them.

Natural leucorrhoea

The cervical canal, located in the cervix, secretes a mucous secretion. It softens the walls of the vagina, protects against microcracks and discomfort during sex. During different phases of the menstrual cycle, the thickness of the secretion changes. In the first phase, when the egg has not yet matured, thick mucus creates a protective plug to prevent infection and sperm from entering the body.

Before the ovulatory period, the secretion becomes thinner and helps male cells move faster, which increases the chances of conception. Only 5 days after ovulation, the discharge thickens again and becomes creamy.

Discharge is produced and changes its consistency under the influence of sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen.

The day before menstruation, the discharge should normally take on the following character :

1. The color is white, the shade varies from cream to light yellow. When using hormonal contraceptives, such as pills, coils or rings, a brown spot may appear before your period.
2. There is either no smell, or it is light and sour.
3. The volume of discharge should be average, not too abundant, but not scanty. A change in consistency is a symptom of disease and inflammation, and dryness and itching are the result of using poor-quality hygiene products.
4. At the end of your period, white mucus should not appear immediately.
5. The secretion of natural cervical mucus never causes discomfort or weakness.

Prevention

To prevent discharge before menstruation from causing the development of any pathologies, you should follow simple recommendations:

• do not neglect the rules of personal hygiene;
• wear underwear made from natural fabrics and change it regularly;
• do not engage in intimate relations during regulation;
• wash your face at least 2 times a day, using products that do not dry out the delicate skin of the intimate area;
• change panty liners every 3-5 hours, and in case of excessive leucorrhoea at least once every 2 hours;
• use condoms during casual sexual contacts;
• visit a gynecologist for preventive purposes;
• Do not engage in treatment on your own, without consulting a specialist. Douching without the permission of a specialist is especially dangerous.

When critical days are delayed

Sometimes heavy, thick and white discharge before your period is a sign of pregnancy. Especially if these days never begin. The abundance of leucorrhoea increases under the influence of a sharp increase in the level of the hormone progesterone in the blood. The secretion of mucus protects the fetus during pregnancy and the female organs from harmful bacteria and infections.

And also in constant stressful situations, lack of vitamins and hormonal imbalance, white discharge appears instead of menstruation. Strict dietary restrictions of the body in the intake of fats and carbohydrates lead to delays.

If you overdo diets or simply eat irregularly, your periods may be replaced by white mucus for a long time.