It is common to wonder whether the color or consistency of vaginal discharge is normal or needs to be checked out. Vaginal discharge can be many colors, and several indicate a healthy body. In this article, we provide a color-coded guide to vaginal discharge. Learn what the colors mean and when to see a doctor. Vaginal discharge is fluid secreted from tiny glands in the vagina and cervix. This fluid leaks from the vagina each day to remove old cells and debris, keeping the vagina and reproductive tract clean and healthy. The amount of vaginal discharge can vary significantly from person to person. The color, consistency, and amount can also change from day to day, depending on where a person is in their menstrual cycle:. The shade of red can vary from bright to a dark rust color. Red discharge is most commonly the result of bleeding during a period.

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Discharge refers to a mixture of fluids that comes out of the vagina or penis. People may notice discharge before, during, or after sexual intercourse. Certain factors can influence the amount and appearance of discharge. The consistency of vaginal discharge, for example, naturally changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Healthy vaginal discharge is a clear or white fluid that contains cervical mucus, vaginal fluid, and cell debris. Some changes in the quantity or appearance of vaginal discharge may occur naturally, while others may indicate an underlying health condition. Sexual arousal stimulates an increase in blood flow to the genitals. The blood vessels expand to accommodate the elevated blood supply.
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A sexually transmitted infection STI; formerly called sexually transmitted disease or STD is caused by a virus, parasite, fungus, or bacterium that can be passed from one person to another through intimate or sexual contact. There are nearly 30 STIs in the world. Some can be cured, and some can only be treated by not cured. This section provides important information about the most common STIs.
The most likely possibility is that what you're seeing coming out of your vagina is simply semen : the sexual fluid which carries sperm. The vagina isn't a bottomless pit: it ends with the cervix , the base of the uterus. The opening to the cervix -- called the os -- is incredibly small. It can dilate to a much larger size when a person is going to deliver an infant, can be dilated for medical procedures by a healthcare provider , and it does get a little bit larger during certain times in your fertility cycle -- it's a little more open during menstruation and ovulation -- but overall, it's seriously teeny. Sperm can get through that opening, because they are microscopically small, as can some bacteria, and your menstrual fluids can make their way out, but semen as a whole, doesn't go in there. It will pool in your vagina when ejaculated, and then run out afterwards. A lot of that will happen within a few hours after, but the vagina cleans itself in a cycle of every few days, so you can often see and smell some different-looking discharges from your usual for a couple of days after unprotected sex.