Pink vaginal discharge is discharge that has a small amount of blood in it. Although a normal happening during pregnancy, pink mucus can oftentimes indicate the presence of a more serious underlying issue that may or may be not life-threatening. Such conditions include ectopic pregnancy, cervical or ovarian cancer, and pelvic inflammatory disease.
An increasing number of pregnant women report pink discharge after sex. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that your pregnancy is at risk, you should consult your doctor and have an ultrasound test to make sure that your baby is all right.
We’ve answered 4 common questions about pink vaginal mucus below.
1. Is Pink Discharge During Ovulation Normal?
To cut a long story short – yes, it is. Pink discharge normally indicates the presence of a small amount of blood. During ovulation (the middle of your menstrual cycle), the egg is released from your ovaries, and it travels from the ruptured follicle to the uterus through the fallopian tube. Most of the time, you won’t even feel when this is happening. However, some women report mild cramping along with light bleeding at ovulation, which is perfectly normal and shouldn’t be a reason of concern. Due to the small amount of blood that’s released, the color of your discharge will be pinkish instead of bright red. Spotting may continue after ovulation, but as long as the amounts of blood are minimal, chances are that you’re perfectly healthy.
2. I Have Pink Discharge After Sex – Should I Be Concerned?
Most likely not. If you are pregnant, you may experience light bleeding during first trimester. During pregnancy, increased hormone activity increases blood flow to the cervix. As such, engaging in sexual intercourse can result in slightly “scratching” the cervix, which leads to minimal bleeding. This is usually harmless and shouldn’t cause you to panic. Most of the time, your discharge will be lightly blood stained after intercourse, and the spotting may continue for a few hours. If the blood is bright red and heavy in volume, consider calling your doctor and doing an ultrasound test to see whether there is anything wrong with the development of your baby.
However, if you experience pink discharge after intercourse but you’re not pregnant, the spotting may be caused by a number of factors. If your period is close, the pinkish discharge may be the onset. Another possible cause of pink vaginal mucus during sex are oral contraceptives – they are known for causing light bleeding during the first three months of use, but they’re usually harmless. If there are very thin blood vessels on the cervical lining, sexual intercourse or orgasmic contractions may cause them to crack, thus resulting in spotting.
If you have recently delivered a baby, pinkish discharge is normal, and it’s usually referred to as “lochia.” This kind of discharge is made up of tissue shed from the uterine lining, bacteria and normal vaginal secretions. There might be an increase in lochia if you engage in sexual intercourse, so it’s better to wait at least a couple of weeks or even months after childbirth.
3. What Does Pink Discharge After Hysterectomy Mean?
Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. If you have been diagnosed with uterine cancer, then removing the uterus is critical to controlling the development of cancerous cells. Experiencing light bleeding and pink discharge after hysterectomy is normal, and happens due to the tissue healing and the suture dissolving. You should notice occasional spotting on your underwear and pink discharge after such a procedure, but if the bleeding is heavier in volume (similar to a period) and lasts for longer than six weeks, you should consult your doctor or go to a sexual health clinic for evaluation.
4. Is It Normal to Have Pink Discharge After Menopause?
Spotting and pink discharge after menopause can be quite surprising and concerning, especially if your last period was many years ago. Two of the most common causes of postmenopausal bleeding are the thinning of the reproductive tract tissues and hormone therapy. Other causes include fibroids, polyps (small growths in the uterus or cervix), or even cervical or uterine cancer. Spotting and bleeding after menopause is abnormal, so you should contact your GP as soon as possible and have the issue investigated.
We urge you to seek medical help as soon as possible after you experience vaginal bleeding (especially if it happens for the first time). If you have other symptoms like fever, cramping or backache, your pregnancy may be threatened by a miscarriage, so you should contact your gyn and make an appointment for an ultrasound test immediately.
Read also:
What’s With This Pink Discharge? Our Expert Is Answering Your Questions
5 Most Common Causes of Light Pink Discharge
Got Bloody Discharge from Vagina? Here’s Everything You Need to Know About It
Complete Guide to Pink Discharge Before Period: What Every Woman Should Know