Vaginal discharge
Introduction
It's normal for women and older girls to have vaginal discharge, buta sudden change in your discharge could be a sign of a problem.
This page covers:
Causes of unusual vaginaldischarge
Advice for young girls and postmenopausal women
Vaginaldischarge in pregnancy is covered separately.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 4 Jan 2017
Introduction
Find out about vaginal discharge, including what's normal, signs of a problem, what can cause unusual discharge, and when to get medical advice.
Normal vaginal discharge
Vaginal discharge is caused by mucus produced fromthe cervix, the lower part of the womb that leads into the vagina. It helps keeps your vagina moist and protects it from infection. Normal vaginal d
Unusual vaginal discharge
A change in yournormal vaginal discharge could be a sign of a problem. Unusual changes include: a change in colour such as grey, green, yellow, pink or blood-tinged discharge an unpleasant smell s
When to get medical advice
It's a good idea to see your GP or practice nurse or visit your nearest genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic or sexual health clinic if you're worried about a change in your vaginal discharge. It's
Causes of unusual vaginal discharge
Abnormal vaginal discharge is usually a sign of an infection. The most common causes are: bacterial vaginosis (BV) a bacterial infection of the vagina thrush an infection caused by overgrowth
Young girls and postmenopausal women
It's unusual for young girls to have abnormal vaginal discharge before they'vestarted puberty . See a GP if this happens. The causes mentionedabove are uncommon inyoung girls, but discharge couldbeth
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