Vaginal discharge is completely normal for people with vaginas. Discharge is a type of fluid that comes out of your vagina. About two weeks from your period, you might notice a significant increase in vaginal discharge that is clear and slippery, similar to egg whites.
Egg white discharge is largely made up of cervical mucus. It’s usually a sign that you are in your fertile window and will have a higher chance of getting pregnant if you have sex. Getting to know your vaginal discharge, and being able to identify your fertile vaginal discharge, can be helpful when you are trying to get pregnant.
Illustration by Amelia Manley for Health.com
Your vaginal fluid, sometimes referred to as cervical fluid, changes throughout your menstrual cycle. Here’s what you might notice during a typical menstrual cycle:
- After you finish having your period, your vagina is usually dry and you have minimal or no vaginal discharge.
- In a few days or a week, you may notice that your vaginal discharge becomes sticky or creamy.
- Within about two weeks after having your period, you may notice that your vaginal discharge becomes clear, slippery, and stretchy (egg white discharge).
- Egg white discharge lasts a few days or a week, and then it dries up.
- During the rest of your cycle, you may experience thicker, white cervical mucus.
- Finally, you’ll have your next period.
Most people experience egg white discharge during the middle of their menstrual cycle. The exact timing can depend on the length of your cycle, which may range from 24 to 38 days. People with 28-day cycles might experience egg white cervical discharge on or near day 14 of their cycle. People with shorter or longer cycles can experience it before or after this.
How many days of egg white discharge you experience will vary. Research has found that, on average, people experience increased mid-cycle discharge for about six days a month.
You can identify your cervical fluid by placing a finger or two inside the lower part of your vagina. When you have egg white cervical fluid, it may feel slippery like egg whites or like a big glob of jelly-like discharge. Egg white cervical fluid is usually:
- Clear
- High in amount
- Slippery
- Stretchy
When you are very fertile, you may notice vaginal discharge leaking onto your underwear and generally feeling wetter than usual.
If you put egg white discharge on your thumb and forefinger and then separate your fingers, the fluid tends to stretch between your fingers without breaking. This typically means that you are very fertile and that you will ovulate soon.
Seeing egg white discharge usually means you will ovulate (release an egg from the ovaries) within a few days. The slippery consistency of egg white discharge is thought to help move sperm toward the egg.
If you track your egg white discharge for a few months, you may notice that the amount peaks and then slowly decreases before it goes away or turns into thicker, white discharge. Research suggests you are most fertile for several days or a week before your egg white cervical fluid peaks and then three days after it peaks.
The appearance of egg white discharge is due to hormone changes that occur during your menstrual cycle. A rise in the hormone estrogen around ovulation causes your cervix to produce high amounts of clear, stretchy cervical mucus. After ovulation, the hormone progesterone rises, which causes a decrease in the amount of discharge your cervix produces.
Getting familiar with the cyclical changes in the look and feel of your vaginal discharge can help you better understand your fertility patterns. This can be helpful if you are trying to get pregnant. For instance, if you want to get pregnant, you would have sex more frequently on the days you see egg white cervical mucus.
It can be helpful to track your vaginal discharge for a few months so that you can identify patterns. Consider taking out a blank calendar and recording:
- The dates you get your period
- The dates you have vaginal discharge
- On days you have vaginal discharge: The amount, color, and consistency of discharge, and whether it can stretch between your fingers
You are most likely to be fertile on the days you have egg white discharge and a few days after this. This fertile window typically occurs about two weeks after your period, but everyone is different. Keeping a calendar with your period dates and egg white discharge dates can help you determine when your fertile window will most likely occur.
Tracking your egg white cervical discharge isn’t the only way to identify when you are most fertile. Many people combine this with other methods of fertility awareness, such as basal body temperature changes, which involves taking your temperature each morning with a basal body thermometer. You can also identify ovulation by using an ovulation detector kit.
Experiencing vaginal discharge and changes in the color, texture, and amount of discharge throughout your menstrual cycle is normal. However, certain types of vaginal discharge and some vaginal symptoms can be a sign of an underlying condition that requires treatment. Make an appointment with a healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Vaginal discharge that is different in color, smell, or consistency than is usual for you
- Vaginal itching, swelling, or redness
- Blisters or sores in your genital area
- Burning during sex or when peeing
Your healthcare provider will likely ask you questions about your health and sexual history. Some vaginal symptoms are due to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Other possible causes include yeast, bacterial, or urinary tract infections (UTIs). Your healthcare provider will examine you and potentially order some tests to determine what is causing your symptoms.
Treatment for your symptoms depends on the cause. STIs, bacterial infections, and UTIs are typically treated with antibiotics. Yeast infections are usually treated with antifungal medications.
Egg white discharge is a clear, slippery, and stretchy fluid produced by the cervix. This kind of discharge typically occurs around ovulation, in the middle of the menstrual cycle. It’s thought to support sperm movement to help fertilize an egg.
You may have this type of discharge for a few days up to a week. If you want to get pregnant, it’s often advised to have sex during the days you have egg white discharge and a few days after it’s gone, as this is when you are most fertile.
