Patient's question:
Vaginal discharge is excessive, how to treat leukorrheaDoctor's answer:
After puberty, as ovarian function matures, a milky or clear fluid may be discharged from the vagina. The amount may sometimes be slightly more or less, but it follows a certain pattern. This is called leukorrhea, which serves to keep the vaginal mucosa moist.Leukorrhea is composed of fluids secreted by various tissues, including mucus from the paravaginal glands, greater vestibular glands, cervical glands, and endometrial glands, as well as exudate from capillaries and lymphatic vessels in the vaginal wall. The mixed mucus contains shed epithelial cells and a small amount of white blood cells, forming leukorrhea.
To evaluate whether leukorrhea is normal, one must observe its quantity, color, texture, and odor.
Normal leukorrhea should be milky white or colorless and transparent, with a faint fishy smell or no smell at all. Its secretion volume and texture are influenced by estrogen and progesterone levels in the body, exhibiting cyclical changes during the menstrual cycle—such as varying amounts (more or less) and textures (thinner or thicker).
Generally, leukorrhea decreases after menstruation. As the ovulation period approaches, estrogen levels rise, stimulating the proliferation of cervical glandular epithelial cells and increasing cervical mucus secretion. The sodium chloride content in the mucus also rises, allowing it to absorb more moisture. During ovulation, leukorrhea increases, becomes thinner, appears clear, and resembles egg white in appearance, stretching into thin strands. After ovulation, estrogen levels gradually decline while progesterone levels rise, suppressing cervical mucus secretion and reducing sodium chloride content. This results in thicker, milky-white leukorrhea with poor extensibility, making it easy to break when stretched.
The amount of leukorrhea secretion is closely related to sexual desire and sexual activity. During the honeymoon period or when sexual