Free tool
Vaginal Discharge Color Guide
Clear to white discharge without a strong odor is usually normal, and its amount and texture change through the menstrual cycle. Gray, green or yellow-green discharge, a strong fishy odor, or discharge with itching, pain or fever is commonly associated with infection. Color alone cannot identify a cause, so see a clinician about any change.
How to use it
- Find the color in the chart below that is closest to what you see.
- Read what that color is commonly associated with and which other signs matter, such as odor, itching or pain.
- Compare it with what is usual for you; a change from your own normal is the most useful clue.
- If the color is new, comes with odor, itching, pain or fever, or you are pregnant, contact a clinician.
Reference
| Color | Commonly associated with | When to see a clinician |
|---|---|---|
| Clear or white, no strong odor | Normal discharge, which ACOG describes as clear to white without a noticeable odor. Its amount and texture change through the cycle. | If it changes from what is usual for you, or comes with itching, pain or odor. |
| Clear, thin and slippery | The thin, slippery mucus that ACOG says increases just before ovulation. | Not needed for this alone. See a clinician if it comes with itching, odor or pain. |
| Pale yellow on underwear, no odor or itching | MedlinePlus notes that normal clear mucus can turn white or yellow when exposed to air. | If it is new for you, or comes with odor, itching, pain or a change in amount. |
| Thick white, like cottage cheese | MedlinePlus describes yeast infection discharge as ranging from watery and white to thick, white and chunky, often with itching or burning. | See a clinician, especially for a first episode, symptoms that keep returning, or pregnancy. |
| Thin gray or white with a fishy odor | CDC lists a thin white or gray discharge and a strong fish-like odor, especially after sex, among the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. | See a clinician; an exam and a test of vaginal fluid are needed. |
| Yellow-green or green, possibly with odor | CDC notes trichomoniasis discharge can be yellow-green and malodorous, and MedlinePlus lists green as an abnormal color linked with infections, including ones spread through sex. | See a clinician promptly for testing, and right away with fever or pelvic pain. |
| Brown, pink or blood-tinged | Discharge mixed with a small amount of blood. Bleeding outside a period has many possible causes. | MedlinePlus advises having unexplained bleeding between periods, any bleeding after menopause, and bleeding in pregnancy checked promptly. |
Your normal is the baseline
Discharge varies between people and across the cycle. ACOG describes abnormal discharge as a change in color, odor, amount or consistency from what is usual for you.
Color is one clue, not an answer
Different causes can look alike, more than one can be present at once, and CDC notes most people with trichomoniasis have minimal or no symptoms. Testing is how clinicians tell causes apart.
Get care promptly if
You have fever, pelvic or belly pain, blisters or sores, possible exposure to a sexually transmitted infection, symptoms during pregnancy, or symptoms that last longer than a week.
Skip douches and sprays
ACOG and MedlinePlus advise against douching and feminine sprays. Douching removes healthy bacteria that help protect the vagina and may make symptoms worse.
How this tool works
This is a fixed reference chart built from MedlinePlus, ACOG and CDC guidance. It has no inputs and gives no result, because different causes can share the same color and a clinician needs an exam or lab test to tell them apart. Each row lists what a color is commonly associated with and when to get care.
Frequently asked questions
What color is normal discharge?
Normal discharge is usually clear to white and does not have a noticeable odor, according to ACOG. It is mostly water, and its amount and texture change through the menstrual cycle. A change from what is usual for you is the more useful signal.
Is yellow discharge normal?
Pale yellow on underwear can be normal, since MedlinePlus notes clear mucus can turn white or yellow when exposed to air. Darker yellow or yellow-green discharge, especially with odor, itching or pain, is commonly associated with infection and is a reason to see a clinician.
What does green discharge mean?
Green or yellow-green is not a typical normal color. MedlinePlus lists green among abnormal changes linked with infections, and CDC notes trichomoniasis can cause yellow-green discharge. See a clinician for testing, and go promptly if you also have fever or pelvic pain.
What does gray discharge mean?
CDC lists a thin white or gray discharge with a strong fish-like odor, especially after sex, among the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. Only a clinician's exam and a test of vaginal fluid can confirm the cause, so book a visit rather than self-treating.
What does cottage cheese discharge mean?
Thick, white, clumpy discharge, often with itching or burning, is commonly associated with a vaginal yeast infection, according to MedlinePlus. Similar symptoms can have other causes, so see a clinician, particularly for a first episode, repeat episodes, or symptoms during pregnancy.
Is brown discharge a concern?
Brown or pink discharge usually contains a small amount of blood. MedlinePlus advises having any unexplained bleeding between periods checked, and bleeding after menopause or during pregnancy should always be reported to a clinician promptly.
Can this chart tell me what is causing my discharge?
No. It is a general reference. Different causes can produce the same color, more than one can be present at once, and some cause no symptoms at all. A clinician uses an exam and lab tests to find the cause.
Sources
This tool gives general information for adults and does not diagnose or treat any condition. It is not a substitute for advice from a clinician. If you have severe symptoms, fever, or are pregnant, contact a healthcare professional.