Pink discharge during pregnancy

Is pink discharge normal during pregnancy?

Usually. A boost in hormones during pregnancy causes your body to produce more vaginal discharge, and when the discharge is combined with a little blood, it may appear pink.

If the blood is old, it may look brown, because blood turns brown as it dries. Brown discharge is common during pregnancy.

You may notice a little pink discharge during implantation, or after sex or a pelvic exam. As labor approaches, you may have some pink discharge as your mucus plug dislodges or your water breaks.

"Pink discharge is usually nothing to worry about, but persistent pink discharge may indicate an underlying problem," says Layan Alrahmani, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn and maternal-fetal medicine specialist, clinical faculty and assistant professor at Loyola UniversityOpens a new window in Chicago, and member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board.

Problems might include an infection, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, or miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, pink discharge may signal a problem with the placenta or preterm labor.

What causes pink discharge during pregnancy?

There are many reasons why you might have pink discharge during pregnancy. Here are the most likely.

Normal reasons you may have pink discharge:

Implantation bleeding

When the fertilized egg implants in your uterus – about seven to 14 days after you conceive – you may have some light spotting, called implantation bleeding. "This spotting results from the fertilized egg attaching itself to the lining of the uterus," explains the National Institutes of HealthOpens a new window. "Assuming it is light and doesn't last very long, this finding is most often nothing to worry about."

The spotting may be pink or brown tinged. And you may also experience light implantation cramping.

Sex

Your vaginal and cervical tissues – which are more sensitive during pregnancy – may be slightly traumatized or bruised during sex. This may result in some pink (or brown)-tinged discharge from light bleeding. It's nothing to be concerned about, but you may be able to minimize the spotting by making sure you're well lubricated during sex.

Pelvic exam and other procedures

Having a pelvic exam or having your cervix checked by your practitioner may result in some pink or brown discharge. Again, your cervical tissues are especially sensitive now that you're pregnant.

Having amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) may also result in pink spotting and is usually not concerning, says Dr. Alrahmani.

Mucus plug/bloody show

If you notice an increase in vaginal discharge close to your due date, you may be losing your mucus plug.

The mucus plug is made up of cervical secretions, and it fills the cervical canal and protects your baby from infection. As your cervix thins and opens (effaces and dilates) in preparation for labor, the mucus plug comes out. Sometimes this happens all at once, and sometimes it happens a little at a time.

The mucus plug may appear clear, but if it's mixed with blood it may look pink or brownish. (When the mucus plug is mixed with blood it's called bloody show.)

Concerning reasons you may have pink discharge:

Infection

Pink discharge, especially if it has a foul odor, may be a sign of a vaginal or cervical infection, such as trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis (BV). "When tissue is inflamed, it can bleed, making discharge pink," explains Dr. Alrahmani.

It's important to be tested and treated for infections, because having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or other infection during pregnancy can increase your risk of complications, such as premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) and preterm birth.

Miscarriage

"A small amount of bleeding early in pregnancy is common and does not necessarily mean that you will have a miscarriage," says the American College of Obstetrics and GynecologyOpens a new window (ACOG). But spotting or bleeding is also the most common sign of miscarriage, which can happen up to 20 weeks but is most common in the first trimester.

Call your ob-gyn, says ACOG, if you have signs or symptoms of a miscarriage, including vaginal spotting or bleeding or a gush of fluid or passage of tissue from your vagina.

Ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy is one where the fertilized egg implants someplace other than the uterus. You may have pink/red or brown bleeding, along with abdominal or pelvic pain and shoulder pain.

Ectopic pregnancies are rare, happening in only 1 to 2 percent of pregnancies. But they can be potentially dangerous for you, so it's important to seek medical help immediately.

Molar pregnancy

A molar pregnancy is the result of a problem with chromosomes. Instead of the fertilized egg and placenta developing normally, they instead develop into a mass of small, fluid-filled sacs.

Molar pregnancies are also pretty rare, happening in about 1 in 1,000 pregnancies. Symptoms – such as spotting or bleeding, nausea and vomiting, vaginal passage of cysts, abdominal cramping, and pelvic pressure or pain – may appear as early as 6 weeks into your pregnancy. Call your doctor or midwife right away if you have symptoms of a molar pregnancy.

Preterm labor

Before 37 weeks, any vaginal bleeding or spotting or change in the type or amount of vaginal discharge might be a sign of preterm labor. Other signs include pelvic or lower abdominal pressure or pain, menstrual-like cramping, low back pain, or regular or frequent contractions. Your water may also break.

Call your midwife or doctor if you have any signs of preterm labor.

Placenta previa

When the placenta lies unusually low in the uterus (touching or covering the cervical opening), it's called placenta previa. Placenta previa doesn't usually cause symptoms, though it may result in vaginal bleeding as your cervix starts to thin and open in the second half of pregnancy. Call your doctor or midwife if you have any bleeding, and head to the hospital if you feel contractions.

Placenta accreta

Placenta accreta means the placenta has grown deeply into the uterus and doesn't separate in the third stage of labor. (This is the stage after your baby is delivered, when your placenta separates from your uterine wall and is expelled.) Placenta accreta can result in major bleeding. It doesn't usually cause symptoms and doesn't become apparent until after birth, though vaginal bleeding in the third trimester may happen.

Placental abruption

Placental abruption means that the placenta has separated from the uterus before birth. This can happen before or during labor, and it can separate partially or completely.

Symptoms of a placental abruption include vaginal bleeding or spotting, as well as abdominal pain or cramping, frequent contractions, back pain, and a decrease in the baby's movements.

Call your doctor or midwife right away if you have signs of placental abruption, and call 911 if you're bleeding heavily or have signs of shock (you feel faint or weak, your heart is pounding, or you're pale and/or sweaty).

Incompetent cervix

An incompetent cervix, or cervical insufficiency, means that your cervix is thinning and opening too soon, usually between 16 and 24 weeks. You may have no symptoms, or you may notice vaginal discharge that changes from clear, white, or light yellow to pink or tan. You may also have pelvic pressure, menstrual-like cramping, backache, or spotting.

Call your doctor or midwife right away if you have signs of an incompetent cervix, which needs to be addressed to avoid preterm labor or miscarriage.

When to call the doctor for pink discharge during pregnancy

Mention any new discharge or change in the amount or type of discharge to your provider at your next visit (unless you have other concerning symptoms – then call right away). Try to note how often you have the discharge, how much there is, and what color it is.

And while a little light spotting or bleeding is common, it's worth a call to your doctor as soon as you notice it, to be on the safe side.

Also call right away if you have any of the following:

• Dizziness
• Abdominal or pelvic pain
• Menstrual-like cramping
• Shoulder pain
• Severe nausea and/or vomiting
• Vaginal discharge with a strong odor
• Change in your baby's movements
• Your water breaks

Learn more pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore.

Learn more:

• Steps to a healthy pregnancy
• Your pregnancy week by week
• Prenatal visits