For example, it can help you notice something different about your vaginal discharge, like unusual odor or changes in the color of your discharge, e.g., the color is not clear or translucent white as it normally is. It can be accompanied by vaginal itching, painful urination, or flu-like symptoms. This will help you know that your body is not acting normally and that something is amiss.

Other than your normal vaginal discharge, it is important to know the color of the STD discharge so that you can easily know if you have an STD infection, urinary tract infection, or yeast infection.

What is vaginal discharge?

A vaginal discharge is a mucus or fluid produced by the glands in the vagina and cervix. Vaginal discharge helps in removing the dead cells from the vagina and keeping it moist, and protecting it from infections. However, it cannot protect it from all infections, and sometimes, STDs can find their way to the vagina, causing changes in the color and odor of the discharge. So, the question is, what is the color of STD discharge?

What is a normal vaginal discharge?

There is no universal vaginal discharge and, therefore, no guidelines as to what a normal discharge is. A normal discharge is then one regular for you. For example, if your vaginal discharge is clear, that’s normal, and any changes in the color are considered abnormal. In short, any discharge that is white or clear, thick and sticky, slippery and wet, and doesn’t have a strong or unusual smell is normal, and you should not worry about it.

You should note that the amount, color, and consistency of vaginal discharge change from one person to another and through the different stages of the menstrual cycle. These changes can also occur when you have an infection because the color of STD discharge differs from the normal vaginal discharge.

How does discharge change through the menstrual cycle?

There is a very low to no amount of vaginal discharge right before and after a period. However, as the egg starts to develop, some days after a period, you will notice a cloudy and white or slightly yellow discharge that is sticky to the touch.

Author credit: By Б.Раданова - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87615800

As you are about to ovulate, the discharge becomes thinner and more slippery, and it is described as an egg-white consistency. After you ovulate, the discharge will turn to its normal white and cloudy color again, with stickiness to the touch.

What does the discharge look like?

As mentioned earlier, vaginal discharge is a result of the cleaning and maintaining of the vagina by the cervix so that the vagina stays healthy. During the cleaning process, your cervix will shed the vaginal cells, cervical mucus, and vaginal fluids, resulting in a white and opaque substance, the vaginal fluid.

Vaginal discharge is a natural part of the body’s function, and any woman who hasn’t reached menopause will experience it. But what is the color of a discharge, or what does it look like?

It is difficult to answer this question because there is no straightforward answer, as the discharge varies from one person to another. But in most cases, women produce a white vaginal discharge.

The amount of vaginal discharge decreases when the menstrual cycle ends. You may notice a stringy discharge that thickens when you are ovulating.

Some things like contraceptives may make it difficult to identify a normal discharge as they reduce the amount of discharge. But if you are experiencing a brown, yellow, or orange discharge color (the color of STD discharge), you are likely to suffer from sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or trichomoniasis.

Understanding the vaginal microflora

You may have heard that your gut has friendly bacteria, and your vagina is one of them. A vaginal microflora is a community of good and helpful bacteria found in the vagina. It is believed that these helpful bacteria help protect the health of your reproductive system.

Scientists believe these bacteria produce lactic acid providing an unhealthy environment for the germs to grow. This helps in warding off the infections of the reproductive tract, though infections can still occur. Infections due to STDs can occur, causing the color of STD discharge.

The vaginal microflora and STDs

The vaginal microflora helps in keeping the harmful bacteria at bay and maintains the color and scent of the vaginal discharge. But it can’t do this all the time as sometimes, you might get sexually transmitted infections that can affect the balance of the helpful bacteria in the vagina, thus interfering with the vaginal microflora.

This leads to distinct changes in your vaginal discharge as it alters its color and scent leading to the color of STD discharge. This is why you should always go for STD testing, especially when you notice abnormal changes in your vaginal scent and color.

Not all STDs can affect your vaginal microflora, but those affecting it can either change the discharge to green, chunky, yellow, orange, or frothy which is unusual. They can also change the odor of your vaginal discharge.

STDs causing vaginal discharge

There are many questions regarding STDs and vaginal discharge. Many people women wonder if their discharge can change when they have an STD and if yes, what is the color of STD discharge? It is true that STDs can cause a change in your discharge as the viruses and bacteria causing infections to replace the good bacteria found in the vagina and interfere with the vaginal microflora.

But you should not that there are many reasons your discharge may change, not only STDs. Things like birth control, pregnancy, and sex can also alter the appearance of your discharge. So, how can you know the changes are due to an STD? You can differentiate if you know STDs affecting vaginal change and the color of STD discharge.

Below are STDs that can affect your vaginal discharge:

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a common parasitic sexually transmitted infection caused by trichomonas vaginalis. One of the common symptoms of trichomoniasis in women is causing of a foul-smelling vaginal discharge that is abnormally heavy.

You can pass the parasite to your partner during vaginal, oral, or anal sexual intercourse. The parasite affects the lower genital tract, including the vulva, vagina, cervix, and the urethra in women and the urethra in men.

In men, trichomoniasis typically shows no symptoms, unlike in women. Even in women, the symptoms of trichomoniasis develop over time. The symptoms of trichomoniasis differ from man to woman. Women may show signs and symptoms like;

  • Discomfort in the lower stomach area
  • Unusually large amount of thin, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, which may vary in color
  • Painful urination and sexual intercourse
  • Genital itching, burning, and redness

As a woman, when you see these changes in your vaginal discharge, you are likely to be having trichomoniasis;

  • A fishy, strong vaginal discharge odor
  • Abnormally heavy discharge before your period
  • Frothy vaginal discharge- a discharge filled with tiny bubbles
  • Yellow or greenish-yellow discharge- the color of STD discharge when infected with trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis rarely shows symptoms in men, but it does; the signs and symptoms may include;

  • Penile discharge
  • Burning when urinating or ejaculating
  • Irritation or itching inside the penis

If you are pregnant and get a ‘trich’ infection, you have a higher chance of delivering a premature baby with low birth weight.

You should note that even without abnormal discharge, you can still have trich because it mostly doesn’t show symptoms, as the CDC approximates 70% of people with trich don’t show any symptoms. So to be safe, ensure you regularly go for STD testing.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection that infects both males and females. It is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which can pass from one person to another during oral, vaginal, or anal sexual contact. Gonorrhea mostly affects the urethra, rectum, and throat, but in women, it also affects the cervix and fallopian tube.

You can spread gonorrhea via vaginal, oral, or anal sex, and women can also pass the infection to their babies during delivery.

Gonorrhea affects many parts of the body, but this article will focus on the genital tract, which is where it is more common. Gonorrhea presents different symptoms in males and females. Women may experience symptoms like;

  • Increased vaginal discharge
  • Painful urination
  • Vaginal bleeding between periods and after sexual intercourse
  • ‘pelvic pain

These symptoms usually show up 2-14 days after contracting the infection. You should be keen because these symptoms might be similar to those of other bacterial infections like thrush or yeast infection. The outstanding symptoms of gonorrhea in women are changes in vaginal discharge which include:

  • Yellow or greenish vaginal discharge- the color of STD discharge
  • Cloudy appearance
  • Abnormally large amount of discharge
  • Thin consistency

Men may experience symptoms like;

  • Painful urination
  • Pain and swelling of one testicle
  • Pus-like discharge from the penis tip

Untreated gonorrhea can lead to severe health complications like infertility in men and women as the infection can spread to the reproductive tract like the fallopian tube, uterus, and testicles and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and epididymis in men. Pregnant women can also pass the infection to their babies during delivery leading to the blindness of the babies.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common bacterial infection caused by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia rarely shows signs and symptoms, and most people don’t know they have the infection. Chlamydia mostly affects young women, and the outstanding symptoms are genital pain and vaginal discharge. It can affect any gender of any age.

Chlamydia can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system, making it difficult to get pregnant, and if you do, you will likely have an ectopic pregnancy. It is, therefore, important for people to regularly go for chlamydia screening, especially young women.

You can spread chlamydia infection to your partner through vaginal, anal, or oral sexual contact. You can pass the infection to your partner even without ejaculation.

Like gonorrhea, chlamydia rarely shows signs and symptoms, but when it does, they may include;

  • Painful urination
  • Painful testicles
  • Vaginal and penile discharge
  • Painful sexual intercourse in women
  • Bleeding between the periods and after sex

Chlamydia can significantly change vaginal discharge causing color of STD discharge. When infected, it can cause the following changes to your vaginal discharges;

  • Abnormally large amount of vaginal discharge
  • Yellow discharge
  • Strong odor discharge
  • The discharge accompanied by a burning sensation when urinating

Mycoplasma

Mycoplasma is another common bacterial sexually transmitted infection. It is caused by the bacterium mycoplasma genitalium, and it can coexist with other STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea or non-STDs, causing changes in vaginal discharge like bacterial vaginosis.

You can get or pass mycoplasma via sexual intercourse. Even without penetrative sex, you can still get the infection by just sexual touching or rubbing. Mycoplasma rarely shows signs and symptoms, and also it is not commonly tested. However, leaving it untreated can lead to major complications like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility in women.

The symptoms of mycoplasma in women may include;

  • Vaginal discharge
  • Vaginal itch
  • Painful sexual intercourse
  • Burning sensation when urinating
  • Pelvic pain
  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Bleeding after sex

Other conditions that may cause changes in vaginal discharges 

One of the indicators of the status of your reproductive health as a woman is vaginal discharge. Any change in either the amount, color, or odor of your vaginal discharge can tell you that something is wrong in your reproductive system. As we have seen, one of them is the color of STD discharge.

But not only STDs can cause changes in your vaginal discharge. Other infections like bacterial vaginosis and yeast infection can also alter your vaginal discharge, although they may not have the same color as the color of STD discharge.

Bacterial vaginosis 

Bacterial vaginosis is a vaginal inflammation due to the overgrowth of natural or ‘good bacteria’ found in the vagina, upsetting the natural balance. It is not clear what causes bacterial vaginosis, but experts believe that factors like douching and having new or multiple sex partners increase your chances of developing it.

Bacterial vaginosis mostly affects women in their reproductive years through it can affect women of any age.

Most women with bacterial vaginosis have no signs or symptoms. But when the symptoms show, they may include;

  • Foul smell or fishy vaginal odor
  • Burning during urination
  • Itchy vagina
  • Green, white, or gray vaginal discharge, which is thinner

Bacterial vaginosis can sometimes increase your chances of getting sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and infection risk after surgical procedure, and can lead to premature deliveries and low birth weight babies.

Yeast infection 

Yeast infection, also known as vaginal candidiasis, is a fungal infection caused by candida Albicans and causes discharge, irritation, and itchiness of the vagina and the vulva. Vaginal yeast infection is so common that out of 4 women, it affects 3 at some point in their lifetimes, and they experience at least two episodes.

Your vagina naturally contains candida Albicans and a certain bacterium, lactobacillus, that keeps the yeast in check and maintains a balance. Sometimes, this balance can be disrupted, causing an overgrowth of the candida that can penetrate into deeper vaginal layers.

The overgrowth of the yeast can be triggered by the following:

  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Pregnancy
  • Use of antibiotics causing an imbalance in vaginal microflora
  • Weakened immune system
  • Oral contraceptives that increase estrogen level

Yeast infection can present signs and symptoms like;

  • Vaginal rash
  • Vaginal pain and soreness
  • Watery vaginal discharge
  • Vulva redness and swelling
  • Burning sensation when urinating
  • Burning sensation during sexual intercourse
  • Itching and irritating vagina and vulva
  • Cottage-cheese-like vaginal discharge, which is thick, white, and odorless.

STDs causing vaginal discharge less frequently 

Some STDs like genital herpes and genital warts can cause abnormal vaginal discharge, but less frequently than other STDs like trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and mycoplasma, and non-STDs like a vaginal yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis. These STDs, however, do not cause color of STD discharge. 

Herpes discharge

Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by herpes virus type 1 and 2 and affects men and women though it affects the latter more. This is because female genital anatomy puts them more at risk than males. You can pass genital herpes to your partner via vaginal, oral, or anal sexual contact.

Genital herpes rarely shows signs and symptoms, and most women with the infection are not aware they have it. If the symptoms appear, they may include;

  • Blisters that form, burst, and leave an open sore
  • Tingling and burning in the affected area
  • Abnormal scanty vaginal discharge

The vaginal discharge of herpes has the following features:

  • Odorless
  • Transparent
  • Watery
  • A small amount of discharge that occurs for a very short time

HPV discharge

 

Human papillomavirus is a viral infection causing skin growth (warts). There are more than 100 strains of HPV, with some causing warts and others causing different types of cancer. HPV is transmitted sexually or through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Fortunately, some vaccines can help protect you against HPV, especially the strains causing genital warts. 

 

HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active people will become infected at some point in their lifetimes with at least one strain of HPV. When it causes genital warts, it affects the moist tissues of the genital area. Genital warts have a cauliflower-like appearance or look like flesh-colored bumps.

 

Most women don’t know they have HPV because it is usually asymptomatic and usually goes away on its own. Some symptoms of HPV may include:

  • Bleeding between the periods
  • Heavier and longer menstrual periods
  • Pelvic pain
  • Painful sexual intercourse

HPV vaginal discharge may have the following features:

  • Reduced amount of discharge
  • Regular discharge
  • Pale, pink, brown, and bloody discharge
  • It can sometimes be non-smelly and sometimes foul-smelly

 

What to do about abnormal discharge

 

If you notice abnormal discharge, you should immediately see your doctor, especially if you notice it for the first time. But if you can identify if it is a color of STD discharge, then you should go for STD testing for the common STDs causing vaginal discharge. Below are some of the symptoms you should look out for;

  • Abdominal pain
  • Fever and chills
  • Abnormal urination with pain and increased urge
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Bleeding after sex
  • Unexplained weight loss

 

How to prevent STDs causing vaginal discharge?

 

Sexually transmitted infections are common, and knowing their prevention mode is the best way to be safe. The surest way to prevent STDs is through abstinence. If you cannot abstain, ensure you consistently use protection or are in a mutually monogamous relationship. Also, ensure you and your partner regularly go for STD screening.

 

Conclusion

 

Vaginal discharge is normal and a way of keeping your vagina clean. Therefore, it is normal, and there is no cause for alarm about your discharge. There is no specific way to define a normal discharge because discharges differ from one person to another. A discharge is considered normal if it is consistent regarding its color and odor.

 

Certain STDs can cause a change in your vaginal discharge and lead to a color of STD discharge, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and mycoplasma. 

Contributor: admin