The Vaginal Discharge Home Pregnancy Test: What You Should Know
Do you want to know what the vaginal discharge home pregnancy test consists of? In the following article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know.
Pregnancy changes a woman’s life and you can feel it even before you’re certain that you’re pregnant. Suspicion is early in many cases and it’s not possible to explain in words what causes it. This has led scientists of all ages to seek a way to diagnose pregnancy early, due to the benefits it entails for the health of the future mother and her baby.
In ancient times, doctors used rudimentary pregnancy tests and created from natural elements. Although the foundations on which these were based may seem mystical to us, the reality is that they were nothing more than the observation of the physiological changes of the pregnant woman.
Today, we have simple and reliable tests, which can be performed at home from the day after you notice your period didn’t come. But in addition, there are some home pregnancy tests that you can implement before going to the pharmacy. For example, the vaginal discharge home pregnancy test.
The vaginal discharge of the pregnant woman
This natural fluid is produced by the vagina and the cervix in order to protect the internal genitalia from external aggressions. Its main functions include the following:
- Preventing the entry of germs from the vagina into the uterus.
- Lubricating the vaginal walls to protect them from trauma during intercourse.
- Facilitating the entry and nutrition of sperm during reproduction.
- Maintaining a suitable environment for the development of normal bacterial flora, which is part of the defense system.
As with the rest of the genital structures, its properties vary throughout the menstrual cycle in order to fulfill a specific function at all times. In this way, its characteristics are modified according to the hormones that predominate at that stage.
For example, after menstrual bleeding, the effect of estrogens favors an increase in the production of watery vaginal secretions. In contrast, once ovulation has occurred, the effect of progesterone causes the consistency of these to increase and they become more viscous.
When fertilization takes place, both estrogens and progesterone remain at high and increasing levels. This also results in changes in vaginal discharge to protect the uterus from the entry of germs.
What is the vaginal discharge home pregnancy test?
As we’ve mentioned, the characteristics of vaginal discharge change after conception and this constitutes one of the typical genital modifications of pregnancy. However, the changes are subtle and therefore, it’s not a 100% reliable test, as is the testing of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin in blood or urine.
We speak of a home test because the change in flow is a highly suspicious clinical sign and can be detected from a few days before the period is absent. But by no means is it sufficient to confirm the diagnosis of pregnancy or to determine a normal course of pregnancy.
Having made this clarification, we’ll proceed to tell you the characteristics of vaginal discharge at this stage of life. Take note!
Increases consistency and viscosity
After fertilization, the mucous glands present in the walls of the vagina and the cervix begin to secrete a viscous and adherent discharge to prevent the entry of pathogenic germs. In fact, this discharge tends to compact in the uterine cervical in order to give rise to the famous mucous plug.
The quantity is increased
Some women notice an increase in genital moisture from a few days before their probable menstruation date. This situation arouses suspicion because, in general, in the days before menstruation, secretions are usually scarce and there’s a marked tendency to vaginal dryness.
The increased flow, like many other body secretions, responds to the increase in maternal blood volume that affects all systems.
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An increase in leukocytes and a change in the bacterial flora are observed under the microscope.
Progesterone is one of the leading hormones in this stage and is responsible for several of the changes in vaginal discharge.
Among the most notable modifications are the increase in defense cells (called leukocytes) and a stabilization of the bacteria that make up the usual flora or genital microbiota. As for the latter, Lactobacillus spp. and other species disappear.
In addition, the chemical characteristics are also modified and more acidic secretions (pH 3.5 to 6) predominate at the expense of an increase in lactic acid production. This helps to regulate the flora and prevent infections.
About the vaginal discharge pregnancy test, we can say…
The appearance of vaginal discharge can serve as a home pregnancy test from a few days before the absence of the rule.
To summarize, we’ll list the changes in the changes that you can observe for the vaginal discharge home pregnancy test:
- Increase in the amount of usual vaginal discharge from the premenstrual stage
- More viscous and adherent secretions that tend to stain your underwear
- Normal color and odor (generally whitish and odorless)
- It doesn’t cause pain, itching, or burning
If you present discharge with these characteristics and there’s the possibility of being pregnant, make an appointment with your gynecologist and dispel your doubts as soon as possible!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Velásquez Nelson . Pruebas para diagnóstico de embarazo. Rev Obstet Ginecol Venez [Internet]. 2009 Sep [citado 2021 Nov 16] ; 69( 3 ): 186-192. Disponible en: http://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0048-77322009000300007&lng=es.
- Marangoni A, Laghi L, Zagonari S, Patuelli G, Zhu C, Foschi C, Morselli S, Pedna MF, Sambri V. New Insights into Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy. Front Mol Biosci. 2021 May 17;8:656844. doi: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.656844. PMID: 34079816; PMCID: PMC8165225. Disponible en: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8165225/#!po=31.6667
- García-Penche Santillán I, Boguñá Ponsa JM, Laílla Vicens JM. Modificaciones fisiológicas de la mujer durante el embarazo. Capítulo 5. En: Gonzalez Merlo Obstetricia. 7° edición. Elsevier España. Año 2018. p 79-90.
- Bigelow JL, Dunson DB, Stanford JB, Ecochard R, Gnoth C, Colombo B. Mucus observations in the fertile window: a better predictor of conception than timing of intercourse. Hum Reprod. 2004 Apr;19(4):889-92. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deh173. Epub 2004 Feb 27. PMID: 14990542. Disponible en: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/19/4/889/2913645
- Martinez L. Prueba de GCH cualitativa en sangre. MedlinePlus [Internet] 2020. [citado 2021 Nov 16] Disponible en: https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/003509.htm
