Ever wondered what that clear discharge is before period?
The most common reasons for noticing clear or cloudy white discharge on your underwear before your period are often connected to your regular menstrual cycle. So what does discharge look like before your period?
Around the time of ovulation, you may commonly notice clear white, pink, or brown spots along with some light cramping. Also, implantation bleeding, some birth control methods, and even stress can cause discharge when you don’t expect it.
Sometimes clear discharge before the period can accompany nausea, pelvic discomfort, or cramps.
What is clear discharge before the period?
Vaginal discharge is common before their period, specifically a clear white discharge. In many women, this white discharge usually appears at the beginning and end of their cycle. Since the secretions are watery, clear, and stretchy just before and after ovulation.
This flow’s white color and creamier texture are due to increased progesterone levels. We already know that this hormone begins to rise progressively when we are in the second half of the menstrual cycle.
But white discharge before the period can also be related to other causes, especially if it is heavy or accompanied by certain vaginal discomfort.
For example: a very white, clumpy vaginal discharge and intense itching in the vaginal area could indicate a yeast / fungal infection.
It is worth clarifying that fungal infections are not considered sexually transmitted diseases. Some sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, cause dramatic changes in vaginal health, including spotting, pain, burning urination, and discomfort during intercourse, foul odor, and increased white or yellowish vaginal discharge.
What does discharge look like before your period? Is it a brown discharge?
Brown discharge is normal for women taking hormonal contraceptives, such as the pill, ring, shot, or patch, the appearance of a dark discharge is not a cause for concern. The discharge, which can also be a side effect of emergency contraception, is the body expelling old blood and vaginal fluids.
Is it normal to have a clear discharge before a period?
A clear discharge before the period is a secretion that changes its characteristics throughout the woman’s menstrual cycle. This occurs because the vaginal cells responsible for producing it respond to hormonal stimulation.
Causes of clear discharge before period:
Vaginal discharge, also called leukorrhea, is a secretion produced in the cells of the cervix and vagina, whose function is to lubricate the area, prevent infections and keep the vaginal canal clean.
The clear flow is accompanied by other symptoms such as increased libido and sometimes a slight pain in the lower part of the belly due to the release of the mature egg.
Ovulation:
the flow becomes transparent, fluid, and elastic when the mature egg leaves the ovary towards the fallopian tubes, where it will wait for the encounter with the sperm for fertilization. The change in this secretion, orchestrated by the increase in estrogen, allows the entry of sperm through the vaginal canal and favors the route and ascent to the fallopian tubes.
The amount of vaginal discharge during ovulation can be up to 10-20 times more than at other points in the cycle.
Sexual arousal:
The vaginal discharge produced during sexual intercourse is transparent and fluid to lubricate the intimate area.
Infection:
A clear discharge before period is usually odorless. It may be due to fungal or bacterial infection if it becomes abundant and smells unpleasant. In these cases, it changes color and becomes white, yellow, or greenish. If it acquires these characteristics, it is necessary to go to the specialist so that he can indicate the best treatment in each case.
What to do:
It is important to be aware of the appearance of other signs and symptoms of pregnancy, such as dizziness, headaches, delayed menstruation, and colic. In these cases, it is recommended to take a pregnancy test and consult a gynecologist at the USA Fibroid Centers so that pregnancy can be verified.
How do we do it?
A clear discharge before a period is a common problem in clinical practice. The vagina can be affected by various etiologies. Therefore, the Interventional Radiologists have an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.
The management of these patients is often complicated by a long analysis of treatments that are as tentative as inadequate. Since they often start from an incomplete diagnostic procedure.
At the clinic, we review the most frequent causes of these conditions. The appropriate steps to establish their diagnosis, the anamnesis to the necessary complementary tests, and the appropriate therapeutic measures.
As radiologists are of greater interest, we focus on infectious, allergic, and hormonal causes. We pay special attention to infectious etiology and its differential diagnosis. As it is the most common cause of these processes and a frequent reason for untimely treatments.
USA Fibroid Centers has been helping women overcome fibroids without surgery since 2016
You can find hope in knowing our trusted fibroid doctors have years of experience performing Uterine Fibroid Embolization care.
