Foul-smelling discharge during menstruation: Causes & Treatment

Working with VagiVital offers the great advantage of also being in close contact with our customers, who daily reach out to us with their questions via chat and email. Intimate health is still a sensitive topic for many women, and it is not always easy to discuss with family and friends. Women are used to silently casting a quick glance in their underwear at every bathroom visit, just to do a quick check. They feel and analyze in a flash a small change in the consistency of the discharge and immediately notice if it stings, itches, or burns. For many women, Google becomes the primary advisor when it comes to finding answers to these intimate questions. The feeling of being alone with these questions often causes our chat to overflow with questions from women of all ages about everything related to the most personal – the genital area ❤️ A common question we often get is about foul-smelling discharge, especially in connection with menstruation. Therefore, we will now take a closer look at this topic.

CAUSES OF FOUL-SMELLING DISCHARGE IN CONNECTION WITH PERIOD

Foul-smelling discharge before and after your period can be a worrying experience for many women, but they are usually a normal part of the body's way of reacting to hormonal changes. Foul-smelling discharge after your period can be due to several different factors. Often it is an imbalance in the vaginal flora that is the culprit. After menstruation, the pH value in the vagina can change, which can lead to an overgrowth of certain bacteria that produce foul-smelling substances. One of the most common causes of this imbalance is bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition where the good bacteria in the vagina are fewer than the harmful ones.

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HORMONAL CHANGES

The body's hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, affecting both the quality and quantity of vaginal secretions. Estrogen and progesterone are the two main hormones that control the menstrual cycle and play a major role in how your body produces vaginal secretions.

❤️ Discharge before period

In the days leading up to menstruation, when progesterone levels are higher, the discharge can become thicker and sometimes accompanied by a slightly sour or metallic smell. This smell is usually mild and can be influenced by hormonal changes preparing the body for menstruation.

❤️ Discharge after period

After your period is over, the declining estrogen levels can temporarily disrupt the balance of bacteria in the genital area, which can make the discharge smell stronger and less pleasant. This smell can feel a bit fishy or musty but is usually just a temporary effect of your body adjusting to the changes in hormones.

This type of odor change is completely natural and nothing to worry about. But if you notice that the odor persists and may even feel unpleasant, it could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis, which happens when the less beneficial bacteria take over in the genital area. In such cases, Vernvia Vaginal Mousse is a good solution as it treats foul-smelling discharge caused by bacterial vaginosis within 7 days and relieves the foul-smelling discharge already within 12 hours.

BACTERIAL BALANCE

The vagina naturally contains a balance of different bacteria, where lactobacilli usually dominate and help keep the environment acidic, protecting against infections. But this balance can sometimes be disturbed.

🌸 Bacterial vaginosis (BV)

If there is an overgrowth of bacteria other than lactobacilli, this can lead to bacterial vaginosis, which is often associated with foul-smelling discharge, especially after menstruation. The odor, often described as fishy, arises due to the overproduction of certain bacteria that produce volatile amines.

🌸 Vaginal pH value

The vaginal pH value can also affect the occurrence of odors. A normal vaginal pH value is around 3.8 to 4.5, which is acidic enough to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

🌸 Changes in pH value

During and after menstruation, the blood (which has a higher pH value than the vagina's normal environment) can temporarily raise the pH value, allowing certain bacteria to thrive and cause a foul odor.

Read the blog about "the causes behind vaginal discharge" here!10% OFF ON VAGIVITAL BV KIT

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