Patient's question:
Hello, increased secretions in the later stages of pregnancy is normal?Doctor's answer:
Hello, the leukorrhea of women is composed of the exudate of vaginal mucosa, the secretion of cervical glands, and the secretion of endometrium. It contains vaginal bacteria and desquamated cells of the reproductive tract mucosa. The amount and characteristics of leukorrhea are related to the level of estrogen.In normal conditions, leukorrhea is milky white, and the amount increases and becomes thin and egg-white-like during the ovulation period. When inflammation or tumor-induced infection occurs in the reproductive tract, leukorrhea often increases significantly. However, during pregnancy, under the influence of estrogen and progesterone secreted by the placenta, the vaginal mucosa becomes congested and edematous, appearing purplish-blue. The vaginal folds increase, becoming soft, elastic, and larger in surface area. At this time, the permeability of the vaginal mucosa increases, and the exudate is significantly more than in non-pregnant women. Additionally, the secretion of cervical glandular cells increases, so the leukorrhea during pregnancy is much more than in non-pregnancy, often appearing as a white paste-like substance with no odor. This is a normal physiological change and requires no treatment. If the leukorrhea is not only excessive but also has a foul odor, appears as curd-like or grayish-yellow foamy discharge, and is accompanied by external genital itching, it is abnormal and should be seen by a doctor promptly.