Vaginal discharge can vary in colour and texture throughout the life cycle of a woman. If you see green discharge in your underwear it will immediately set off alarm bells.
In this article:
What is this Green Discharge?
Is it Normal to Have Green Vaginal Discharge when Pregnant?
What are the Causes of Green Vaginal Discharge when Pregnant?
What Does Green Discharge Indicate?
What Treatment can be Done to Cure it?
What to Do about Green Vaginal Discharge?
When Should i Consult a Gynaecologist?
All You Need to Know about Green Discharge During Pregnancy
What is this Green Discharge?
Green vaginal discharge is typically considered a sign of infection. When you’re pregnant, extra caution is a must. So if you’re pregnant and have green discharge, consult your doctor right away.
Vaginal discharge that is considered normal is usually clear or white and has either no odour or a very mild smell. Green discharge is considered abnormal and usually indicates infection, especially when accompanied by a foul smell.
Is it Normal to Have Green Vaginal Discharge when Pregnant?
No, having green vaginal discharge is not normal. Of course, you will have some sort of discharge when pregnant, but it is often thin, milky and has mild or no odour. It is known as leukorrhea and is normal to encounter during pregnancy.
A woman who has green discharge while pregnant should immediately make an appointment with her doctor. Certain infections that cause a woman to have green discharge pose threats to the pregnancy and the baby.
For instance, pregnant women with trichomoniasis are more likely to have preterm deliveries and babies with lower-than-average birth weights. Any infection that is present during pregnancy should be taken care of immediately with antibiotics.
What are the Causes of Green Vaginal Discharge when Pregnant?
The green discharge could be the sign of an infection that could cause serious complications for your pregnancy. Common causes of green vaginal mucus include:
What Does Green Discharge Indicate?
Usually, this means that you’ve contracted an infection. This occurs when the body reacts to pathogens with an inflammatory response. At the very start of an infection, you may see thin, yellow discharge. Then you’ll see a yellowish-green discharge with a thicker, mucus-like consistency and finally to a bright, or lime-green discharge that is very thick and usually foul-smelling.
Left untreated, these infections can spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes (salpingitis), and ovaries (oophoritis) in a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In the long-term, PID can cause permanent damage to the reproductive organs and lead to infertility or ectopic pregnancy.
What Treatment can be Done to Cure it?
In most cases, green discharge indicates infection, and infections are treated with antibiotics. Laboratory tests will confirm what kind of infection you have (and STI, bacterial vaginosis, or something else).
Depending on the type of infection, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics that should clear it up within a few weeks. The green discharge caused by bacterial infection is curable and is only a minor setback. A number of antifungal and antibiotic medications are available to relieve you from this problem. This medication also works magic against infection caused by Trichomonas.
What to Do about Green Vaginal Discharge?
During pregnancy, once it is confirmed that your green discharge is not resulting due to bacterial infection or leaking amniotic fluid, there’s not much you can do to help yourself out of this situation. To make things more comfortable for yourself, you may want to use thin pads or panty liners. It is recommended not to use tampons during pregnancy since tampons tend to absorb discharge which will aggravate infections.
Here are some other things you can do to help yourself:
Hygiene
Maintaining good hygiene is really important, especially during pregnancy. Keep your private parts clean and healthy to minimize the risk of infection. Keep your genital area clean, especially after the use of the toilet each time. The correct way is to wipe yourself from front to back instead of the back to front movement. Also, be careful when changing pads. The safest way is to change your pads every three to four hours, whether or not your pad is fully soaked.
Avoid Douching
Avoid douching during pregnancy since it disturbs the natural balance of vaginal bacteria. Imbalance of vaginal bacteria makes you open to infection by the growth of harmful bacteria in your body. Vaginal infections or bacterial vaginosis may also ramp up the risk of preterm labour and sexually transmitted diseases.
Cotton Underwear is a Must
It is better to wear underpants which are made of pure cotton fabric. Cotton fabric is known to absorb sweat well and thereby, making it difficult for germs or other bacteria to grow.
Avoid Having Bubble Baths
Bubble baths can cause irritation or itchiness in your private parts, which may further lead to vaginal infection. So as a preventive step, avoid taking bubble baths during pregnancy. Also, it is better to use non-scented soaps and body washes, as these added chemicals can cause irritation.
When Should I Consult a Gynaecologist?
While it is quite normal to experience vaginal discharge when you are pregnant, there are a number of symptoms which may call for immediate medical attention. Green discharge is a cause of concern but does not put you or your baby in any immediate danger.
Thicker discharge that has a mucus-like texture that gives off an unpleasant fishy odour, changes colour to yellowish green are all symptoms to watch out for. You might experience pain with such discharge while you go to urinate, or pain during sexual intercourse with your partner. Usually, a bacterial infection can be treated with proper care and with the help of antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor.
Sources
https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/vaginal-discharge
https://www.healthline.com/health/green-discharge-pregnant
