What Are Causes of Yellow Discharge and What Does It Mean?

The causes of yellow vaginal discharge may or may not be a sign of infection.

All women have vaginal discharge during their normal monthly cycle. It's the body's natural way to keep clean and flush out bacteria. Discharge is vital to keeping the vagina moist. It creates the right balance between the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast that are always present in the vagina.

Healthy vaginal discharge is generally a clear, watery discharge, or pale yellow or white creamy discharge. It doesn't usually have an intense smell or strong color. The amount and color of discharge will typically vary depending on where you are in your cycle. It's the heaviest close to ovulation and increases with sexual arousal.

Vaginal discharge is affected by many different factors, such as:

• Antibiotics
• Douching
• Scented soaps or bubble bath
• Diabetes
• Pregnancy
• Spermicides
• Menopause
• Breastfeeding
• Infection

If you notice a yellow discharge, pay attention to your body and check for other symptoms.

Learn the common causes of yellow discharge and when it is necessary to see your doctor for treatment.

The causes of yellow discharge may or may not be a sign of infection.

Check to see if there are any other symptoms besides the yellow discharge. The amount, smell, and timing of the discharge can help determine the cause.

There are several possible causes of yellow discharge, including:

• Period
• Early pregnancy
• Vaginitis
• Vaginal infection
• Sexually transmitted disease

Period

A thin yellow discharge near the start of a period is common. The yellow mucus color is due to early menstrual blood mixed with regular mucus discharge.

Pregnancy

Thick, yellow discharge can be an early sign of pregnancy.

Vaginitis

Vaginitis is another cause of yellow discharge. Vaginitis is an irritation or inflammation in the lining of the vagina and can also result in redness, odor, and pain.

Vaginal infection

Poor hygiene that allows fecal bacteria to spread to the vulva is another major source of infections.

Infections that cause vaginitis are not always sexually transmitted. However, all sexually transmitted diseases can cause vaginitis. The most common infections that cause vaginitis are yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.

It's important to be aware of your body and what's normal for you, to evaluate any new symptoms.

Yeast infection symptoms include:

• Pain in the vulva
• Intense itching
• Thick white to yellow discharge

Bacterial vaginosis symptoms include:

• White, gray, or yellow discharge
• Burning and itching
• Redness
• Fishy odor

Sexually transmitted disease

The two most common sexually transmitted diseases that cause vaginitis and yellow discharge are gonorrhea and chlamydia.

These STDs don't always have symptoms. It's possible to have them and be asymptomatic or to have only some of the symptoms but not all of them.

Gonorrhea symptoms include:

• Slightly creamy green to yellow discharge
• Sharp pain in the stomach
• Burning during intercourse and while urinating
• Fever

Chlamydia symptoms include:

• Abnormal yellow to green discharge
• Burning during intercourse and while urinating

Symptoms of trichomoniasis, another STD, include:

• Watery green to yellow discharge
• Unpleasant smell
• Mild discomfort or pain while urinating

Yellow discharge can be anywhere from light yellow to a darker yellow-greenish. It's noticeable in underwear or on toilet paper after using the bathroom.

A pale yellow discharge without any odor is considered normal.

You should see your doctor if you have yellow vaginal discharge and it:

• Changes color
• Smells foul or fishy
• Feels sore or itchy
• Causes you any pain in the pelvic area, especially when urinating

Only a licensed healthcare professional can diagnose the medical issue that yellow discharge may be a symptom of.

Your doctor will do a pelvic exam to diagnose the cause of the yellow discharge. During a pelvic exam, the doctor will take a sample of discharge that will be screened for infections. If you're sexually active, they will also test for sexually transmitted diseases.

It's essential not to use any spermicide or douche before the pelvic exam to ensure you have an accurate sample.

Once your doctor diagnoses the reason for your yellow discharge, it can be treated relatively quickly. Treatment is typically a topical cream or gel, or antibiotic, but it will depend on the specific cause.

If a sexually transmitted disease is the cause of yellow discharge, your sexual partner should be treated as well. Both you and your partner must be treated to keep you from passing it back and forth to each other.

Pregnancy often causes an increase in vaginal discharge. However, normal vaginal discharge is typically thin, clear, white, or light yellow because of the rise in estrogen levels. Vaginal discharge that is yellow, green, gray, red, or frothy could be a sign of infection and may require medical treatment.

Healthy white creamy discharge is called leukorrhea, can occur throughout the menstrual cycle, and often increases during pregnancy, helping to reduce the risk of vaginal and uterine infections.

Characteristic features of normal vaginal discharge are as follows:

• Thin, clear, or white
• Mild odor
• A heavy and sticky discharge, containing pink mucus in the final weeks of pregnancy, with a jelly-like consistency, indicating that the body is preparing for childbirth

Depending on the color, vaginal discharge may indicate different health issues:

Yellow or green

Yellow or green discharge indicates an infection, possibly a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis. Other symptoms may be present, such as vaginal redness or irritation.

Yellow vaginal discharge is often mistaken as leakage of small amounts of urine. However, any yellow discharge should be evaluated by a doctor. Seeking medical attention is important because STIs during pregnancy can cause complications that affect both mother and child. These complications may not show up in the child until years after birth, but they can affect the child's nervous system and development and cause infertility in the mother.

White and lumpy

Vaginal discharge that is white/off-white and lumpy, resembling cottage cheese, may indicate a yeast infection, which is common during pregnancy. Other symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection may include pain, burning, itching, and painful urination or intercourse.

Gray

Gray vaginal discharge may indicate a vaginal infection called bacterial vaginosis (BV). It is also associated with a fishy odor that becomes stronger after intercourse. BV is a result of a bacterial imbalance in the vagina. Risk factors for BV include douching and sex with multiple partners.

Brown

Brown vaginal discharge is caused by old blood leaving the body. It may be an early sign of pregnancy. Brown discharge during pregnancy is usually not dangerous. Dark brown discharge during pregnancy, however, requires medical attention.

Pink

Pink vaginal discharge during pregnancy is usually normal during the early and final weeks of pregnancy. It can, however, also be a sign of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or vaginal infection. Pink discharge may also appear after sexual intercourse.

Red

Red vaginal discharge during pregnancy can be dangerous and requires immediate attention, especially if there is heavy bleeding, clots, cramping and abdominal pain. The red discharge could be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

Can yellow discharge be a symptom of a sexually transmitted infection (STI)?

Yellow discharge may occur normally during the menstrual cycle as well as pregnancy, however, it can also be a symptom of certain sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis. But STIs are also usually accompanied by other symptoms such as itching, unpleasant odor, pelvic pain, soreness, redness, burning sensation during urination, and/or pain during sexual intercourse.

If your vaginal discharge is unusually yellow or greenish-yellow, and you have reason to suspect an STI, see your doctor; don’t wait for other symptoms to appear.

Can yellow discharge be caused by hormonal imbalance?

Hormonal fluctuations are a normal part of a woman's cycle. A rise in estrogen can make your vaginal discharge turn slightly yellow. Estrogen levels go up for a few months before a girl reaches puberty, during the first 2 weeks after the period, and pregnancy.

Hormonal imbalance indicates a persistent abnormality in hormone levels and is a medical condition that will need diagnosis and treatment. Along with slightly yellow discharge, it can cause many symptoms including mood swings, irregular and heavy periods, sleep issues, hair loss, and fatigue.

Is yellow discharge normal during pregnancy?

Vaginal discharge typically increases during pregnancy and is usually clear or white. Levels of estrogen and progesterone rise through pregnancy, and increasing estrogen may make the discharge yellowish, which is perfectly normal if you have no other symptoms. But if your discharge is yellow or yellowish green, or is accompanied by foul odor, itching, burning, or other symptoms, consult with your obstetrician to check for infections.

Does vaginal discharge change throughout the menstrual cycle?

Women experience changes in the color, volume, and texture of vaginal discharge throughout the menstrual cycle, as well as pregnancy. Vaginal mucus performs functions such as protecting from infections and lubricating the vaginal passage. With menopause and hormone depletion, vaginal discharge dries up, causing vaginal dryness and irritation, a common problem among menopausal women.

Vaginal discharge starts with being pasty soon after your period and progressively gets creamy and white during the first half of the cycle. During ovulation, it is usually a clear discharge that is slippery and stretchy like egg whites, which aids the passage of sperm through the vagina and the cervix. This texture of cervical mucus is a good indication of your most fertile period. After ovulation, the discharge again becomes drier until the next cycle.

When should someone be concerned about their vaginal discharge?

The types of vaginal discharge can vary among women, but discharge generally ranges from thin, clear, or white to light yellow. The confusion about yellow discharge is that it can be normal or indicate an underlying issue. Vaginal discharge may naturally be yellow for some women or turn more yellow at certain times during the menstrual cycle, or pregnancy. The texture and volume of discharge can also vary, for instance, arousal can increase the cervical mucus to provide lubrication during intercourse.

So, how do you know when it is an abnormal discharge? Check with a doctor if the vaginal discharge does not follow your usual pattern if it is unusually yellow, or if you additionally have symptoms such as itching, burning, or other vaginal discomfort. You should consult your doctor without delay, if your vaginal discharge is green, gray, red, or frothy, whether other symptoms or present or not, because it may take a while for other symptoms to appear.