Pregnancy discharge: what’s normal in early pregnancy

Lots of people notice more discharge than usual in early pregnancy. It’s normal, and it’s there for a good reason. Here’s what to expect, and the changes worth getting checked.

Why you get more discharge in pregnancy

Discharge keeps your vagina clean and moist and helps protect it from infection. It’s normal to have more of it in pregnancy, and this helps stop infections travelling up from the vagina to the womb.

The amount usually keeps increasing as your pregnancy goes on, and there’s even more towards the end. In the last week or so, it may contain streaks of sticky, jelly-like pink mucus. This is called a ‘show’, and it’s a sign your body is starting to get ready for birth.

What normal pregnancy discharge looks like

thin, and clear or milky white
no strong or unpleasant smell
no itching, soreness or irritation

It can feel like a lot, especially if you weren’t expecting it. As long as it looks and smells like this, it’s nothing to worry about.

How it changes as your pregnancy goes on

Early pregnancy: you may notice more than usual from the first weeks.
Through pregnancy: the amount usually keeps increasing, and it should stay thin, clear or milky white.
Near the end: there’s more again, and you may notice the ‘show’ described above. If you lose it before 37 weeks, contact your maternity unit.

Is more discharge an early sign of pregnancy?

It can be: the NHS lists having more discharge than usual, without soreness or irritation, as a possible early sign. But discharge changes through every cycle too (around ovulation it becomes thinner and stretchy, a bit like raw egg white, and afterwards it usually becomes thicker and drier again), so it can’t tell you on its own. See pregnancy vs period discharge.

Staying comfortable

Wear loose cotton underwear.
Avoid perfumed soaps and perfumed bath products.

Changes to get checked

Speak to your midwife or GP if your discharge:

smells unpleasant or strange
is green or yellow
comes with itching or soreness around your vagina, even if it looks normal
comes with pain when you pee

Pink, red or brown discharge can mean there’s blood in it, so get urgent advice (see below).

These can be signs of an infection. The NHS lists some of the common ones:

A fishy smell: often bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Thick and white, like cottage cheese, usually without a smell: often thrush.
Green, yellow or frothy: can be trichomoniasis.
With pain in your pelvis, or bleeding: can be chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
With blisters or sores: can be genital herpes.

Don’t try to diagnose it yourself. Most of these are easy to treat, but some thrush medicines shouldn’t be used in pregnancy, so always speak to a doctor, pharmacist or midwife before using anything. Sexual health clinics can also help, and many offer walk-in appointments. If you’re not sure yet whether you’re pregnant, tell them you might be.

Signs that need urgent advice

Any blood in your discharge

Pink, red or brown discharge means there’s some blood in it. Some people have light spotting in early pregnancy, often called implantation bleeding, though it isn’t certain implantation causes it. Whatever the cause, contact your midwife, maternity unit, early pregnancy unit or NHS 111 straight away about any bleeding in pregnancy, even if it’s light.

Brown, watery discharge with pain on one side

Vaginal bleeding or a brown, watery discharge can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, especially with tummy pain low down on one side, pain in the tip of your shoulder, or discomfort when you pee or poo. Symptoms usually appear between 4 and 12 weeks of pregnancy. Contact your GP or NHS 111 right away if you could be pregnant, even if you haven’t had a positive test yet.

Watery discharge or leaking fluid later in pregnancy

Call your maternity unit straight away if your discharge becomes watery, or you’re leaking fluid. Clear or pinkish fluid before 37 weeks can mean your waters have broken early. Also call if your waters look green, brown or bloody.

Questions people ask

What colour is early pregnancy discharge?

Healthy pregnancy discharge is clear or milky white. Green, yellow or grey discharge, or a fishy or unpleasant smell, should be checked for infection. Pink, red or brown discharge contains blood, so get advice.

Is it normal to have a lot of discharge in early pregnancy?

Yes. It’s normal to have more than usual, and it often increases as your pregnancy goes on. Get it checked if it smells, changes colour, or makes you itchy or sore, or if you have pain when you pee. Get urgent advice for any bleeding, or if your discharge becomes watery.

Can I treat thrush myself when I’m pregnant?

Talk to your midwife, GP or a pharmacist first. Thrush is easy to treat in pregnancy, but some thrush medicines aren’t suitable.

When to get help

Mild cramps that ease with rest are usually nothing to worry about. But if you’re pregnant, or think you could be, get urgent advice from your maternity unit, an early pregnancy unit or NHS 111 if you have:

any bleeding or spotting, even if it’s light
tummy pain that’s severe, on one side, or hasn’t eased after resting for 30 to 60 minutes
pain in the tip of your shoulder

Call 999 if you have bleeding along with severe tummy pain, pain in your shoulder, or feeling sick, faint or dizzy, or if the bleeding is heavy (soaking a pad soon after putting it on). Also call 999 if you have sudden, sharp and intense tummy pain and you feel very dizzy or faint, feel sick or look very pale. These can be signs of an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage that need treating straight away.