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The inside of your vagina, like the inside of your mouth and nose, is covered with a mucus membrane-a type of body tissue that produces moisture. So it's normal to feel a little dampness in your underpants during the course of a day. In fact, if the vaginal lining stayed dry, you would be susceptible to vaginal infections and sexual intercourse would be painful! Most women produce more mucus around the middle of their menstrual cycle-usually a couple of weeks after a period. This increase coincides with ovulation-the release of the egg (or ovum) from the ovary. During pregnancy, there is often an increase in vaginal discharge and sometimes it becomes quite thick. There are also certain types of birth control pills which tend to make some women feel damp. Sexual excitement stimulates the membranes to produce fluid to lubricate the vagina in preparation for intercourse. And after sexual intercourse, there may be quite a large amount of discharge.
Normal discharge is clear and smooth or creamy and has a very slight smell which can be described as sweet or soapy. What is not normal is any discharge that is smelly, itchy, discolored, or irritating. Anything like that should be discussed with a doctor, along with any bleeding between periods. The most likely cause of abnormal vaginal discharge is an infection.
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