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.
White or off-white, thin, mostly odorless discharge during pregnancy is called leukorrhea. Leukorrhea happens for several reasons, including: The high estrogen levels women experience during pregnancy. The cervix creating more mucus to protect the pregnancy.
Losing your mucus plug simply means that your cervix is starting to dilate, and your body is preparing for labor. You may notice a thick, jelly-like discharge that's either clear, off-white, or slightly bloody with a pink, red, or brown hue.
Vaginal fluid is usually white or yellow in color. Amniotic fluid, however, is typically clear (or red-tinged) and will soak your underwear. It also has no scent and/or a slightly sweet smell.
Main symptoms and signs of amniotic fluid leakage include: Wet underwear, but the fluid is odourless, colourless; Wet underwear more than once a day; Decreased movement of the baby in the uterus, when there has already been a major loss of fluid.
Thankfully, telling the difference between amniotic fluid and leukorrhea is usually pretty easy. When the discharge is amniotic fluid, it feels like a steady trickle or gush. It also has more of a light yellowish tint than a white one and a thinner consistency than that of leukorrhea.
Your water may have broken if you experience: A popping feeling followed by a gush or trickle of fluid from your vagina. Fluid in your underwear or down your leg in either small or large amounts. Wetness that's odorless and clear or pale yellow.
Leaking amniotic fluid might feel like a gush of warm fluid or a slow trickle from the vagina. It will usually be clear and odorless but may sometimes contain traces of blood or mucus.
How can you tell the difference? Amniotic fluid leak will keep going and may even smell slightly sweet. Leukorrhea can be annoying, but it won't gush out and shouldn't smell like much of anything. A greenish tint or foul smell.
If the fluid is clear and your are having only mild contractions or none at all, your physician or midwife may have you stay home for awhile. If the amniotic fluid is green, brownish-yellow, or anything other than clear in color, notify your physician or midwife and come to the hospital as soon as possible.
Vaginal discharge is usually thin and light yellow or white in color. Discharge from the mucus plug is thicker, more jelly-like and there is more of it. It can also be tinged with red, brown or pink blood.
Excess vaginal discharge can occur due to arousal, ovulation, or infections. Normal vaginal discharge contains a mixture of cervical mucus, vaginal fluid, dead cells, and bacteria. Females may experience heavy vaginal discharge from arousal or during ovulation.
Here's an amniotic fluid leak test you can do at home: Empty your bladder and put on a panty liner or sanitary pad. Wear the pad for half an hour or so, then examine any fluid that has leaked onto it. If it looks yellow, it's probably urine; if it looks clear, it's probably amniotic fluid.
You should call your doctor or midwife or go in immediately if: You are preterm (less than 37 weeks gestation) and suspect PPROM. You have an amniotic fluid leak and feel feverish. The fluid is yellow in color, or tinged greenish, suggesting meconium.
If you and your midwife suspect that your waters have broken but are not sure, you will be offered an internal examination. If you agree to this, your midwife or doctor will insert a plastic speculum into the vagina so that they can see if water is leaking through the neck of the womb.
It's possible to have a small leak in the amniotic bag that results in just a little bit of fluid leaking out intermittently. It can be hard to tell if this fluid is amniotic fluid or just increased discharge that is common at the end of pregnancy.
In a few rare cases, however, amniotic fluid leakage ceases, amniotic fluid volume is restored, and pregnancy continues until term.
While both amniotic fluid and vaginal discharge (leukorrhea) tend to be odorless, the latter is generally stickier, thicker, and may look like clear or milky white mucus. Amniotic fluid, on the other hand, is typically very thin and watery.
Amniotic fluid is usually clear or has a pale yellow tint. Discharge is more milky white and slightly thicker. Most of the time when the amniotic sac breaks it doesn't result in a huge gush of fluid like you see on TV. Most often, it feels like a steady trickle or a leak of fluid in your underwear.
It's normal to have some amount of discharge every day. You can't prevent it because it's your body's way of keeping your vagina clean and healthy.
Warning Signs of Premature Labor
Menstrual-like cramps felt in the lower abdomen that may come and go or be constant. Low dull backache felt below the waistline that may come and go or be constant. Pelvic pressure that feels like your baby is pushing down. This pressure comes and goes.