Known as leucorrhea, the vaginal discharge is an odorless or mild-smelling milky discharge that you can see appear in your underwear because of increased estrogen production and greater blood flow to the vaginal area. Made up of secretions from the cervix and vagina, old cells from the walls of the vagina, and normal bacterial flow from the vagina, the discharge is a valuable aid to detecting early pregnancy symptoms.

While the vaginal discharge may be common even before pregnancy, it is during pregnancy that the secretion increases in flow. The process by which the flow increases occurs in the following manner.

In very early pregnancy, cervical secretions fill your cervical canal and create a protective barrier -a device known as mucus plug.

As your cervix begins to thin out and dilate, it may expel this mucus, and you'll notice discharge that looks like egg white or mucus resembling discharge from a runny nose. You may even expel the plug in one gelatinous glob. This discharge might have some amount of blood in it.

Is Vaginal Discharge Clean?

If the early pregnancy symptom discharge is thin and clear and then there is a lot of it, you may actually be leaking out amniotic fluid, a suspicion you can dispel by consulting your doctor. While cervical mucus could be early pregnancy discharge, it could also be normal vaginal discharge, yeast infection discharge, or ovulation discharge. The ovulation discharge usually looks like egg whites, and can resemble a slight creamy textured discharge that you may not even notice.

Vaginal discharge can look alarming if even when you are at your 37th week and you notice an increase in discharge or a change in the type of discharge, and it begins to look like a watery, mucus-like, or bloody secretion. This could be a sign of preterm labor. Another time to get alarmed is when you suspect that you have an infection, when the discharge causes you discomfort such as itching or burning-or your vulva looks inflamed. The discharge you are emitting could also be foul-smelling, or frothy or yellow, and it may be time to get a thorough check-up of yours done.

Also, there's nothing when the discharge is being emitted, for you to do but consult a physician if it is seriousl. Otherwise, you can do nothing to stop the flow. You can take some care-giving tips for yourself or precautions, such as keeping your genital area clean, wearing cotton underwear, and avoiding fancy deodorants, scented pads or toilet paper in the area. Early pregnancy symptom discharge should not be allowed to become a cause for panic or misery.