Watery Discharge in Early Pregnancy: What Does it Mean?

Vaginal discharge is a common complaint that many anxious pregnant women present with. This HerHaleness article explains why it occurs, and what brown or pink discharge in pregnancy could mean.

Pregnancy is a time filled with all kinds of anxieties. This is especially true for women that are experiencing pregnancy for the first time. There are so many unanswered questions related to this condition. How much should I eat? What should I eat? What should I avoid? etc. etc. Women also become concerned if there is any kind of discharge during pregnancy. Watery vaginal discharge during pregnancy is nothing new, and you will see that many women complain of this. In fact, this may be one of the early pregnancy symptoms before missed period. However, there could be other things that a watery discharge in early pregnancy can signify. These are explained below.

Clear Watery Discharge

A clear watery kind of discharge in early pregnancy is quite a common finding. There are many explanations that have been set forth to explain this phenomenon. When a woman becomes pregnant, there is a sudden surge in the levels of estrogen hormone. This hormone leads to an increase in the blood flow in the vaginal area, which results in an increase in the secretions in this region. Also, as the cervix swells, this vaginal discharge helps to keep fungal infections at bay. In most instances, there is white discharge during pregnancy, which is usually odorless and colorless.

Brown Watery Discharge

The most common cause of brown discharge in early pregnancy is implantation bleeding. When the body prepares for the possibility of pregnancy, that is, during ovulation, then the lining of the uterus becomes thick due to the increased supply of blood via a network of blood vessels. When fertilization does take place, the fertilized egg then burrows itself into the wall of the uterus, and this is how implantation takes place. Thus, while the egg burrows itself, there is a possibility that some of the superficial blood vessels break, and that blood leaks out, and leads to implantation bleeding during pregnancy. Thus, brown watery discharge before period can be an early sign of pregnancy. The woman may not be aware of the fact that conception is going on, and that she is going to miss the period. Or it can be a sign of an impending period.

The brown watery discharge may be gradual, minimal, and may go on for a few days. As it is the time of active growth of the fetus, slight watery discharge during early pregnancy need not be a cause for alarm. Sometimes, there is old blood that lines the uterus. So, when the body does not need this blood, it is released in the form of discharge from the vaginal area. Brown discharge during pregnancy towards the end of the first trimester, or when the first eight weeks are over, is the maximum limit till when this can be considered normal. However, if the discharge is heavy, or is accompanied by some pelvic pain or burning with urination, you should immediately consult the doctor, and get your condition evaluated.

A lot of brown or pink discharge during early periods of pregnancy along with cramping may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in a place other than the uterine lining. This may lead to a lot of complications, and put the health of the baby and mother at risk. However, this condition is not very common, and even if you do not have very heavy discharge, but severe cramping, then you need to visit your doctor. So, conclusively, we can say that though vaginal discharge in early pregnancy isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, if it is continuous, heavy, dark, or accompanied by other symptoms, then you need to go to the doctor immediately, and get your condition diagnosed and treated.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.