Many women fail to pay attention to how their body works – and more specifically, to how their vagina works. Vaginal discharge is an important part of the female reproductive system, and serves as a housekeeping function that allows the vagina to cleanse itself and flush out dead cells and bacteria. While some vaginal mucus every now and then is absolutely normal, a bad odor and clumpy, cheesy consistency usually indicate the presence of an infection. Some women are not even aware of the discharge, especially if their vagina produces very little.
White Discharge
A healthy vagina has many good bacteria and only a small amount of yeast. The most common type of bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, helps keep the growth of yeast under control. When the balance between the two is upset, yeast can growth too much, leading to specific symptoms including chunky white discharge that looks a little like cottage cheese, vaginal itching, swelling and redness, and also pain during urination and sexual intercourse.
White discharge is a common premenstrual symptom that affects many women, occurring 2 to 4 days before period. Sometimes, white vaginal discharge may even occur one week before period, going away once the period starts. Most of the time, the white discharge may be accompanied by very mild itching, partially resembling a yeast infection. This is especially normal for teenage girls who have not started their period yet.
Having a baby is one of the most joyous times in a woman’s life. Anticipating the day you will bring your little one home, picking a name and choosing nursery colors can all make you brim with excitement. But no matter how well you prepare for the baby’s arrival, you may not be fully prepared for the myriad of changes your body will go through. In addition to breast tenderness, frequent urination, and food aversions or cravings, you will also be experiencing white discharge while pregnant, which can make you feel quite uncomfortable.