A woman’s body undergoes a variety of changes during their pregnancy. Some of these changes may be unprecedented, but reading up on them before being entangled in the process itself can help give you some perspective so that you know not to panic. Vaginal discharge is one of the more uncomfortable changes that you will be facing during these nine months, but that is considered to be fairly normal owing to all the hormonal tumult that your body is going through. Using panty liners instead of tampons is a better way of making sure that the discharge has no chances of seeping through.
What you need to be on the lookout for is the colour, odour and consistency of discharge. While white discharge may be normal, it is the green vaginal discharge or anything between yellow green discharge to light green discharge that you should pay close attention to.
In this article:
Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Discharge
Causes of Green Discharge During Pregnancy
Risks of Green Discharge During Pregnancy
Treatment for Green Discharge During Pregnancy
All You Need to Know about Green Discharge During Pregnancy
Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Discharge
If you have vaginal discharge which is milky white and with a mild odour to it, you have no cause to worry. This kind of discharge is quite normal and is called Leukorrhea. The usual cause of this is an imbalance of estrogen in the body. However, if you notice changes in the kind or the quantity of vaginal discharge from your body, you need to pay closer attention to the details of it.
Sometimes, the colour may turn to pink owing to mild spotting along with discharge. Rarely does the pink colour signify an infection. But if you notice light green discharge or that of a yellow green colour, it might be symptomatic of a vaginal infection. Neutrophils are responsible for the yellowish tinge which multiply in number when your body detects an infection.
Green vaginal discharge is often a sign of chronic infection, and may be accompanied by itching and redness. The green colour is usually caused due to the presence of verdoperoxidase, which is a pigment produced when neutrophils produced owing to the infection begin to die. This signifies that the infection is starting to get more severe and chronic in character. At this point it is mandatory that you seek proper medical advice and help.
Causes of Green Discharge During Pregnancy
Some of the main causes behind green vaginal discharge with mild or strong odour, may be given as follows:
Candidiasis:
This is one of the most common causes of discharge from the vagina and is more commonly known as a yeast It can happen to any woman but may be particularly susceptible to those who are pregnant, with all the transformation that their bodies are going through. It is a fungal infection that usually goes away on it’s own, but if you wish to take no chances make sure you contact your doctor for their insight.
Vaginal bacteriosis:
This is a condition that develops in sexually active women and does not exclusively show up in women who are pregnant. It is a bacterial infection of the vagina which can result in yellow green discharge from your body.
Vaginal warts:
This occurs due to a viral infection in the vagina which may or may not be associated with a sexually transmitted disease. Warts may develop anywhere in the genital area, but their presence usually adds a greenish tinge to the discharge.
Trichomoniasis:
This is a parasitic infection that can develop in the vaginal area, urinary tract and even in the digestive system. The way to set this condition apart from those mentioned above is a strong and foul odour along with the green vaginal discharge. The consistency of discharge in this case also tends to be more frothy in nature.
Gonorrhea or Chlamydia:
This is one of the more extreme causes behind green vaginal discharge. It is a venereal disease that requires your immediate medical attention.
Risks of Green Discharge During Pregnancy
While normal discharge from the vagina is nothing to worry about, when the colour turns yellow and especially if it turns green, you need to contact your doctor as soon as possible. Green vaginal discharge is usually symptomatic of something severe and it is only with due medical attention that you can make sure that your baby is safe.
Treatment for Green Discharge During Pregnancy
As discussed in the earlier section, green vaginal discharge may be caused due to a number of infections that may be fungal (yeast or candidiasis), bacterial (vaginal bacteriosis), viral (warts), parasitic (trichomoniasis) or venereal (gonorrhea) in character. Each of these types of issues in the body have a very specific and distinctive medical treatment. It is best not to try and experiment on yourself and let a qualified medical examiner run tests in order to identify and administer the appropriate treatment that best suits your condition.
Conclusion
The best way to get through your pregnancy is to tow the fine line between panic and necessary action. While white vaginal discharge is natural, you need to be more alert and watchful for any change in the colour, texture or odour that may raise red flags regarding the safety of the child growing inside you. Once you objectively identify an actual issue, like that of green vaginal discharge, you need to make an appointment and see your doctor right away so that you can rule out any possibly dangerous conditions and get to the bottom of what is causing the discharge from your body to turn green. Adhering to your doctor’s advice is the course of action that you should be focusing on.
References
Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/vaginal-discharge-pregnant/
