Pregnancy is a wonderful, yucky thing isn’t it? There is so much going on with our bodies that we have absolutely no idea about. Especially if this is your first pregnancy it is completely normal to worry; A LOT! I have found that there are three types of discharge during pregnancy that worries us the most.

* Blood

Bleeding during early pregnancy can be very scary, in fact, bleeding is scary in general, pregnant or not. Any bleeding during the first trimester is a reason to call your doctor as it can definitely mean trouble. However the most common type of bloody discharge during pregnancy comes after sex. I hear this question all the time and the answer is always the same, “Yes it’s normal!” Your cervix is very temperamental during pregnancy and sexual activity can cause some light bleeding or pink discharge.

Call or go into your doctor’s office IF:

*You have bleeding in the first trimester

*If you have bleeding that is accompanied by heavy cramps or contractions.

*You need to wear more than a panty liner to contain the bleeding

*If you have moderate to heavy bleeding that lasts more than 24 hours.

*Yeast

If you see a thick, white lumpy discharge during pregnancy you may have a yeast infection which is very common when you are pregnant. Some women have these more than others. One sign that the discharge is actually yeast and not something more serious include itching or burning along with the discharge. A lot of women wonder whether it is okay to take an over the counter medication such as Monistat for thier yeast infections when they are pregnant. The answer to this is YES! Monistat is okay during pregnancy.

It is important to note however, that there is a chance that you may have a more serious condition in which the symptoms mimic those of a yeast infection. Therefore, it is important that you talk to your doctor no matter how confident you are that you have a yeast infection.

Pink, Clear Fluid

This could be the most concerning type of discharge during pregnancy since it could possibly be amniotic fluid. No matter what point you have reached in your pregnancy, this clear discharge can mean trouble but this is especially true during the third trimester. It is possible that you could have a tear in the amniotic sack which could cause leaking of the amniotic fluid.

Typically however, this is not the case. Most usually this clear discharge is nothing more than urine! That’s right girls, urine. Many times during pregnancy you will find that you urinate on yourself without even knowing it. Thankfully, there is a simple test that can be done at your doctor’s office which can tell the difference between urine and amniotic fluid.

There are times when you need to go to the emergency room:

*A bloody discharge along with this clear fluid

*Regular contractions or pain with the discharge

Normally we will experience an increase in overall discharge during pregnancy. It is important to know what to look for. Most of the time our discharge will be milky and about the consistency of yogurt. If you are concerned, always call your doctor!