Watery discharge is usually not a cause for concern and is a sign of a healthy vagina. It can be an indication the vagina is cleaning itself, and can also be an indication of ovulation. If accompanied by other symptoms like itchiness or a sore vagina, it may be caused by an infection or other condition.
Just before ovulation, your cervical mucus will turn clear and slippery. This consistency makes it easy for sperm to swim up to meet an egg at ovulation. If you want to get pregnant, this type of discharge tells you it's time for sex. Some people chart their cervical mucus to tell them where they are in their cycle.
When you're pregnant, it's normal to have more discharge than before. Healthy vaginal discharge is usually thin, clear or milky white, and should not smell unpleasant.
This discharge can start 1-2 weeks after conception, sometimes even before you've missed your periods. Additionally, you will experience a heavy discharge towards the end of your pregnancy. This happens because of the pregnancy hormone also known as estrogen.
If your discharge is thin and watery, or thick and white (like cottage cheese), you may have thrush. This common fungal infection causes intense itchiness and soreness around your vagina. The discharge may smell slightly yeasty, but doesn't have a strong smell.
Watery discharge after ovulation
Ovulation usually happens 10–16 days before your period starts. You may notice more discharge when you're ovulating. This discharge tends to be clear and stretchy, like an egg white. Right before your period arrives, the discharge may become white and cloudy.
The days leading up to a menstrual period are often associated with PMS symptoms such as cramping and bloating. But the shifts in hormone levels also cause many people with vaginas to experience changes in vaginal discharge. Most of the time, this increase or decrease in discharge is normal.
In a 28-day menstrual cycle, you may first notice this fluid around day nine or ten (5).
Several symptoms can inform someone if they are about to have a period and can include spotting, pain or cramping, bloating, swollen or tender breasts, acne, and mood changes. PMS usually appears the week before and goes away a few days after a period begins.
In addition, as the pregnancy progresses, women may notice that they may have excessive vaginal discharge, and they may confuse it for urine. However, having a watery discharge doesn't mean that you're pregnant. Other factors can lead to watery or clear discharge.
In case of any cramp and watery discharge, make sure you contact the healthcare provider because it could be a sign of any medical condition or infection, but watery discharge is normal in many cases. In pregnant women, the cramps and watery discharge might lead to premature labor or other complications.
What kind of cervical mucus indicates pregnancy? Leukorrhea is a type of early pregnancy discharge. This sign of pregnancy is often milky white, thin, and generally harmless. However, sometimes this vaginal discharge may also be an early indication of infection, so it's important to note any changes or symptoms.
Cervical Mucus
In addition to spotting, you may notice a milky white discharge coming from the vagina, another one of the pregnancy symptoms before missed period. Right after conception, the vaginal walls begin to thicken, and the elevated growth of these cells lining your vagina causes the white discharge.
Pregnancy-specific symptoms
“The key difference between the two, however, is that with pregnancy, your period doesn't occur.” Nausea and vomiting are symptoms that can accompany pregnancy and are often not experienced with PMS. “The nausea in early pregnancy often resolves after the 12th week of gestation,“ Giles said.
Light Bleeding
This can occur when the embryo implants into the uterine wall about six to 12 days after ovulation, and sometimes spotting and light cramping can occur along with it. Not all women experience implantation bleeding, or may assume that the cramps they experience are a sign that their period is coming soon.
A significantly greater number of cycles (70.4%) commenced during the night or in the first 4 h after rising, compared with later in the day. In a large proportion of these (29 out of 76), blood was noted to be present on waking, menstruation thus having begun at some time during the hours of sleep.
However, healthy cycles typically range from 21 to 35 days (three to five weeks). Unless a medical condition causes irregular cycles, most women probably have at least a rough idea of when to expect their next period. A period is considered late if it has not started within seven days (one week) of when it is expected.
Clear, watery discharge is often normal, especially near ovulation. It can also occur as a result of hormonal changes, sexual arousal, or pregnancy. Unless it is foul smelling or other symptoms are present, it is likely benign.
As you near ovulation (the point about midway through your cycle, when an egg is released from the ovary into the fallopian tube), you're apt to see more mucus. It tends to be thin, slick, and wet.