HEALTH LIBRARY YOUR CYCLE HEALTH

VAGINAL DISCHARGE

WHITE DISCHARGE DURING SEX: WHAT IS IT? AND WHY DOES IT

HAPPEN?

White Discharge During

Sex: What Is It? And Why
Does It Happen?

Updated 03 February 2023

FACT CHECKED
Published 31 January 2019

Medically reviewed by Dr. Anna Targonskaya,

Obstetrician and gynecologist

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White discharge during sex is more common than

you might think. Here’s everything you should
know.

Ever noticed that your body produces white

discharge when you’re enjoying some solo
pleasure or having sex with a partner? Then you’re
not alone — one of the most common Google
searches is “white discharge during sex.” So what
is it? And why does it happen?

Getting “wet” during sex is a term you’ve likely

heard in sex education, pornography, or while
chatting with your friends. However, the white
discharge that your body releases during sex is
the same mucus-like substance that you might
find in your underwear as you go about your day-
to-day life. It might be thicker and more
translucent, thinner and wetter, or something in
between.

Whatever your white discharge looks like, it’s a

totally normal part of having sex. In fact, it’s your
body’s natural response to being aroused or
“turned on” to help with lubrication.

Just remember that, when it comes to intimate

health, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all.
So your white discharge will probably look
different from a friend or partner’s. Consistency
and color can also be affected by lots of different
things, which we’ll go into below.

Understanding what healthy discharge looks like

can help you spot when you may be experiencing
an infection and when you may need to speak to
your health professional. Here’s what you need to
know.

White Discharge During Sex:

What Does Normal Vaginal
Discharge Look Like?

As mentioned above, healthy vaginal discharge

can be slightly different in look, texture, and color
from person to person. Before we get into what it
looks like, let’s go over what it does.

Well, the vagina (or the internal part of your

genitals) is actually self-cleaning, thanks to
discharge. Fluid is released from glands within
your cervix and vagina to flush out any bacteria
and old cells that might lead to infections. Think of
discharge as the body’s own shower gel, which
means you don’t need to clean it with anything
other than water.

It’s normal to start producing discharge in the

months before your first period. And the
production of discharge slows as you transition
into menopause.

There’s no such thing as “normal” discharge

because everyone is different. However, the
National Health Service (NHS) in the U.K. says
that healthy vaginal discharge is white or clear
and doesn’t have a strong or unpleasant smell.

Similarly, if your discharge is thick or sticky, it’s

nothing to worry about. Discharge can also be
more slippery and stretchy, kind of like egg whites
— this signals that ovulation is about to happen,
which is when an ovary releases an egg.

Don’t panic if your discharge leaves a slight yellow

or white stain in your underwear or sheets — this
is perfectly normal, and lots of us experience this
(even if we aren’t talking about it).

What your
discharge can tell
you?
Learn about different types of discharge, what is
means, and what health conditions it can indicate

Try Flo today

White Discharge During Sex:

Why Does It Happen?
You may be wondering how the vaginal discharge
you produce as you go about your everyday life is
linked to the natural lubrication your body
produces when you’re turned on.

Simply put, the primary purpose of any discharge

is to moisturize the vagina. But, even around
ovulation — when you probably notice more
discharge in your underwear than usual — there
might not be enough lubrication for comfortable
sex.This calls for even more moisture.

That’s why when you’re sexually aroused a few

different things happen to create more lubrication.
Arousal increases blood flow to your vulva,
causing the blood vessels to swell and allowing
fluid to pass through its walls. The Bartholin’s
glands (in the vulva just outside the vaginal
opening) and Skene’s glands (around the urethra)
both produce extra fluid to help reduce the
friction and irritation from penetrative sex. Often
this fluid is white.

There’s no amount of discharge you “should” be

producing when you’re turned on. Nor is there
such a thing as being too wet. But if you’re not
producing enough natural lubrication during sex to
feel comfortable, your hormone levels, any
medication you’re taking (such as hormonal birth
control), or the kinds of sexual activities you
engage in could all be having an impact.

Speaking of hormone levels, where you are in your

menstrual cycle can also play a part. Estrogen
levels are lower at the beginning of your menstrual
cycle, so you might notice less white discharge
during sex.

White Discharge During Sex:

How Is Your Vaginal
Discharge Linked To Your
Menstrual Cycle?
Your period, the discharge you experience
throughout the month, and the white discharge
you produce during sex might feel like separate
occurrences, but they’re actually inherently
linked.

Puberty causes hormonal changes to happen in

your body, including the production of discharge
in the run-up to your first period.

During your period, your body sheds the lining of

your uterus, which comes out as blood, but there’s
also a little bit of discharge mixed in there. About
a week after your period, a few days before
ovulation, discharge is stretchy, clear, and similar
in consistency to egg whites. High levels of
estrogen are at play here, as your ovaries prepare
to release an egg.

In the middle of your cycle, during ovulation, your

discharge may feel slippery or thinner. Then
during the second part of the menstrual cycle,
after ovulation, you may notice creamy, white
discharge. Healthy vaginal discharge during this
time is typically white, creamy, milky, or cloudy
and is sometimes thick.

As long as your discharge doesn’t have a strong,

unpleasant smell and isn’t accompanied by
symptoms like itching, burning, painful urination,
or pain during sex, it’s likely to be normal.

Is your discharge linked to your

cycle?
Daily insights from flo will help you evaluate your
discharge and highlight what it can signal.

Learn more with Flo

White Discharge During Sex:

Causes Of Heavier Vaginal
Discharge
It can be tricky to spot slight changes in your
vaginal discharge. However, if you do notice that
the colour and consistency of your discharge
changes, don’t panic.

Factors such as where you are in your cycle and

whether you’re turned on are usually at play and
often nothing to worry about.

For example, if changes to your discharge happen

just before or during, sex, then it may just be your
body’s natural response to being turned on. As
more blood flows to your genitals, discharge is
pushed to the surface to help aid lubrication. You
may notice you feel wet after sex.

Similarly, your body releases more estrogen in the

days leading up to ovulation, which also causes
vaginal discharge to change during ovulation as
your body releases more estrogen. It can be
handy to track your menstrual cycle with apps like
Flo to help you understand what’s going on.

Your estrogen levels are also high during early

pregnancy, which means that you may produce
more discharge than normal. This is one way that
your body protects the fertilized egg from
infections. Healthy discharge during pregnancy
should look the same as your discharge when
you’re not pregnant.

White Discharge During Sex:

Is My Discharge Healthy?
There are a number of signs or changes that you
can look out for in your vaginal discharge or
overall well-being that may indicate that you have
an infection:

A change in color
A change in smell
Other symptoms such as pain, burning, or
itching around or in the vagina

Track your period

and symptoms to
see your unique
cycle patterns.
Try Flo today

A change in color
While the consistency of white discharge you
produce during sex may change throughout your
menstrual cycle, when you’re pregnant, or when
you’re sexually aroused, the color should always
be clear or milky white.

If your discharge appears to have a red tinge or be

bloody or brown during your period, that’s totally
fine. However, if you notice a lot of spotting or
bleeding between your periods, it could be a sign
of other conditions.

Uterine fibroids, which are growths within your

uterus, can cause bleeding between periods.
Similarly, cervical polyps (growths on your cervix)
can trigger spotting. Both of these conditions are
treatable and your doctor can advise you on the
best treatment to manage your symptoms.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

If your discharge appears yellow or green in color
and starts to smell, it’s a sign something’s off.
Some STIs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can
cause discharge to look yellow or green.

Other symptoms can include painful urination,

pelvic pain, and pain during sex. It’s worth noting
that some people don’t experience any symptoms
when they have chlamydia or gonorrhea, so it’s
important to practice safe sex by using condoms
or similar barrier methods of contraception. If you
suspect that you’ve been exposed to an STI,
schedule an appointment to get tested.

Trichomoniasis, or trich, is another STI that may

cause your vaginal discharge to appear yellow or
green. The NHS outlines that the infection is
caused by a tiny parasite called Trichomonas
Vaginalis (TV), and symptoms often present within
a month. However, up to half of all people don’t
present any symptoms at all. If you think you have
trich, definitely get tested.

STI basics
Our dialog about discharge will help you understand
more about STIs, their symptoms and causes.

Try Flo today

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)

If you notice that your discharge is grey or has
developed a strong “fishy” smell, bacterial
vaginosis could be the culprit. BV is an
inflammatory infection that is caused by an
overgrowth of the bacteria that lives in your
vagina. This can be caused by douching or
intensively washing your vagina.

For most people, BV is easily treatable with a

course of antibiotics, creams, or gels. See your
doctor or health care professional for a checkup if
something seems off.

Yeast Infection
Yeast infections (candidiasis or thrush) is another
really common condition that can cause a change
in your vaginal discharge. You may notice that it’s
thicker, whiter, and has a cottage cheese-type
texture. This is indicative of a yeast infection
which is often accompanied by burning or itching.

See your doctor who can prescribe antifungal

medication, either in the form of a pessary or a
tablet you take orally. You may also be given
cream to soothe the irritation you’re experiencing.

All you need to know about

discharge
What types of discharge there are? Can be
connected to infections like yeast candidiasis?

Learn more with Flo

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection that
occurs if bacteria spreads up the vagina to the
cervix. It can affect your uterus, uterine tubes, and
ovaries. You may notice that your discharge
becomes yellowish in colour. Other symptoms
include heavy or painful periods, pain in your
lower abdomen, and discomfort during sex.

If caught early, PID is easily treated — antibiotics

and over-the-counter pain medication is usually
all it takes.

White Discharge During Sex:

When To Speak To Your
Doctor
White discharge during sex is healthy and normal.
It’s your body’s natural response to pleasure that
helps with lubrication. So, the more turned on you
become, the more your body might produce.

However, if you notice that the white discharge

you produce during sex changes color or smell —
or you start to experience symptoms like fatigue,
pelvic pain, bleeding between your periods,
burning, or itching — schedule an appointment for
a checkup.

Tracking discharge changes and symptoms in a

period tracking app like Flo can help your doctor
get up to speed quickly and narrow down what’s
going on. They might also do a pelvic exam and
ask you questions about your sexual and general
health history.

If a diagnosis isn’t immediately clear, they might

conduct a Pap smear (swab your cervix to take a
sample of cells for testing) or take a sample of
your discharge to examine under a microscope.
It’s crucial to remember that you’re totally in
control during any consultation; whoever’s treating
you should outline what they’re going to do during
the procedures before they begin them.

Cycle reports for

your doctor
Showing your cycle trends and symptom patterns
will help your doctor see the big picture faster.

Try Flo today

References

History of updates

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