Stringy discharge: when women inquire about it or seek more information on this subject they tend to believe that this kind of discharge is somewhat strange and may be abnormal. That’s a very correct approach, meaning to be interested in functioning of your reproductive organs. Understanding which phenomena are normal and which should be corrected is a key to the right and timely reaction when something really goes wrong. So, let’s see why your vaginal discharge may turn stringy.
Is It Normal When Vaginal Discharge Changes Its Appearance?
That’s a very interesting question and a very important one. Basically, yes, but depends on the changes.
The initial point here is understanding that having vaginal discharge is absolutely normal. It has its meaning and function – protection of your reproductive organs and self-cleansing, first of all. And, certainly, the appearance and amount of vaginal secretions don’t stay the same throughout your menstrual cycle. Some days they are prominent, thin and stringy, others – more dense, sticky and thick. Both are variants of norm, if your cervical mucus doesn’t cause you irritation or other forms of discomfort.
How To Tell Whether My Vaginal Discharge Is Normal?
Normally your discharge should change as follows:
– right after period you have no visible discharge or very few secretions because they are too thick in your cervical channel to be excreted outside; closer to ovulation, which is approximately in the middle of your cycle, your vaginal discharge is getting thinner and during ovulation it’s clear, stretchy and stringy; next you are experiencing thicker discharge that reminds body lotion; and finally your discharge turns thick and sticky.
The color of your vaginal discharge may vary: clear, whitish, yellowish. No greenish, prominent yellow or grayish discharge is acceptable. Those are symptoms of infections. So is copious discharge that literally soaks your underwear or smells unpleasantly (foul, fish-like smell).
Can Virgins Have Vaginal Infections Or STDs?
There’s an opinion that virgins can’t have vaginal infections or sexually transmitted diseases. That’s not so. Bacterial vaginosis, for instance, is a very frequent condition that causes profuse vaginal discharge with foul odor. It can occur to both girls and women, including virgins.
As for sexually-transmitted infections, virgins, certainly, have fewer chances to get infected than sexually active women. However, any kind of genital contact, even if it’s not a sexual intercourse, can lead towards a STD.
Why Does My Discharge Turn Stringy?
Stringy, stretchy egg-white-like discharge in mid-cycle is a symptom of ovulation. This is the most favorable time to conceive a baby, and you can determine it, monitoring your cervical mucus. Such discharge promotes conception. When sperm cells get into vagina, they need to reach the ovum, released by the ovary during ovulation. Stringy and stretchy mucus offers very advantageous conditions for spermatozoa. They get into its streams and use them as a highway towards the target. Only the fastest and the strongest sperm cell wins this race.
Stringy discharge shouldn’t alarm you if it doesn’t cause you inconveniences, such as irritation, itching, burning sensations, unpleasant odor. If you still believe your discharge is not likely to be normal, better clear up this situation with your gynecologist.