signs of leaking amniotic fluid vs discharge

It’s also called a ‘rupture of membranes’. This is what’s known as your waters breaking.

When the sac breaks open for your baby to be born, it lets out the amniotic fluid. What’s the difference between vaginal discharge and my waters breaking?ĭuring pregnancy your baby is inside a sac filled with amniotic fluid. You should contact your doctor or midwife immediately. If you see blood that is bright red or not mixed with mucus coming from your vagina, it is probably not a ‘show’. It might contain blood or look pink or brown. When your cervix starts to dilate in preparation for labour, the plug will come out. What's the difference between vaginal discharge and a 'show'?Ī ‘show’ is a specific type of discharge from your vagina that you might see shortly before you have your baby.ĭuring pregnancy, a plug of mucus seals the opening of your cervix to prevent infections getting in. If you do have symptoms, your doctor will most likely test you for bacterial vaginosis. For this reason, it’s not tested on a routine basis in pregnancy.

However, for most people, treatment with antibiotics doesn’t lower the risk of preterm birth. Many people who are pregnant have bacterial vaginosis and about half of them don’t have any symptoms. It can cause problems in pregnancy, such as preterm birth. If you have bacterial vaginosis, your discharge may be grey or green and watery with a fishy smell. People who are pregnant are not tested for thrush on a routine basis, but you can be tested if you have symptoms. If you have thrush, your discharge may be thick and white like cottage cheese, with pain and itch. There are 2 infections that you have a higher chance of getting during pregnancy: vaginal thrush and bacterial vaginosis. If you have any vaginal discharge which is unusual for you, see your doctor. What kind of discharge should I get help for in pregnancy?

is watery or looks like cottage cheese or froth.

It’s normal to have a larger amount of vaginal discharge in pregnancy, but the discharge itself should look like your normal vaginal discharge. Does vaginal discharge change during pregnancy? It’s caused by a higher level of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone in pregnancy. It usually looks clear or white and doesn’t have a strong smell. You might notice more vaginal discharge than usual when you’re pregnant. Is it normal to have vaginal discharge in pregnancy? It can also result from some medicines and health conditions, or from using products that irritate your vulva or vagina. If the balance of bacteria is disturbed and you have an overgrowth of yeasts or bad bacteria, you might get an abnormal vaginal discharge.Īn abnormal vaginal discharge is most often caused by an infection. There are good bacteria called lactobacilli that live in your vagina and help keep it healthy. It should be clear, white or cream-coloured and shouldn’t have a strong smell. It also varies from person to person - some people have a lot of discharge while for others it may be very light. Normal vaginal discharge changes over the course of your menstrual cycle and with other situations, such as pregnancy and breastfeeding. It helps stop infections developing in your vagina. Vaginal discharge is a body fluid that keeps your vagina clean and moist.

Related information on Australian websites.

What’s the difference between vaginal discharge and my waters breaking?.

What's the difference between vaginal discharge and a 'show'?.

What kind of discharge should I get help for in pregnancy?.

Does vaginal discharge change during pregnancy?.

Is it normal to have vaginal discharge in pregnancy?.

See your doctor if your discharge has a different colour, consistency or smell to your usual vaginal discharge.

Before you go into labour, you might have a ‘show’ which is a sticky vaginal discharge that has been sealing your cervix during pregnancy.

When you’re pregnant, you have a higher risk of getting vaginal thrush or bacterial vaginosis, which can cause an unusual vaginal discharge.

It’s normal to have more vaginal discharge during pregnancy, but the discharge should look like your normal discharge.

Vaginal discharge is a body fluid that keeps your vagina clean and moist and helps prevent infections.

Signs of leaking amniotic fluid vs discharge