Originally published: 01.OCT.2021
Article updated: 04.JUNE.2024
Medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Conway
What is green vaginal discharge?
Green vaginal discharge is an abnormal green-colored secretion which is often caused by the body's inflammatory response to an infection. When pathogens enter the genital tract, they reproduce causing the normal clear or whitish vaginal fluid to become heavy and take on a yellow, yellow-green, or green color.
Green discharge is often accompanied by a foul-smelling odor and other symptoms such as vaginal irritation, a burning sensation during urination, and pain during sex. More often than not, infections associated with green discharge are not serious and are often easily curable with antibiotics if caught early.
Some common causes of green discharge:
- Bacterial Infection
- Common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - Gonorrhea or Chlamydia
- Trichomoniasis Vaginal Infection
- Bacterial Vaginosis
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Pregnancy
At the onset of an infection, it is typical for your discharge to take on a frothy texture, and as the infection progresses it may increasingly take on the appearance of a yellow-looking mucus, then light green before becoming thick green in color.
Remember, some form of discharge is normal. As a sexual health specialist, I get asked about abnormal discharge and vaginal discharge daily. I understand that it can be a cause of great concern, and for many people, it leads them to the conclusion that they have a sexually transmitted disease, or that they may have a very serious health condition.
What is causing green discharge?
Several causes may be behind your green vaginal discharge. For most women, it may be caused by a bacterial infection. In other cases, it could be a sexually transmitted infection. Pregnancy may also cause your vaginal discharge to change in color and consistency.
Trichomoniasis Vaginal Infection
The most common cause of green discharge is trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. While it commonly causes green discharge, trichomoniasis often also causes a host of other physical symptoms.
- Trichomoniasis is one of the most common STDs in the U.S., affecting almost3.7 million people per year.
- It is almost exclusively sexually transmitted, contracted through vaginal-to-vaginal or vaginal-to-penile contact.
- 70% of people infected with trichomoniasis will not display any signs or symptoms.
- For those people that do experience symptoms they will usually notice yellowish-green foul fishy smelling discharge within 5 to 28 days of contracting trichomoniasis. However, for some people, symptoms can develop later.
I recommend that if you notice green discharge or other signs of vaginitis, you should speak to your doctor or visit a sexual health clinic immediately so you can get tested.
The good news is that if you do have trichomoniasis it is normally easily treated. Your doctor will typically prescribe you an antibiotic, such as metronidazole or tinidazole, which will clear up the infection within a couple weeks.
Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Gonorrhea or Chlamydia
Green discharge may be a sign of other sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. It is quite common for women with trichomoniasis to have a concurrent gonorrhea or chlamydia infection.
- Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are sexually transmitted diseases that you can contract if you have unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia or gonorrhea.
- As with trichomoniasis most people with chlamydia or gonorrhea don’t display any symptoms. However, those that do often experience painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge (white, yellow, or green discharge), pain during sex or vaginal bleeding between periods.
If left untreated, gonorrhea or chlamydia can lead to serious health problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID often has no symptoms, but some women do experience abdominal or pelvic pain. If left untreated PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system leading to an inability to get pregnant, and potentially ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus).
If you have symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection, such as green discharge, discharge with an offensive odor, pain in the vagina or vulva, or itching of the vulva, you should contact your healthcare provider for testing for STIs.
As many STDs do not have symptoms, early detection and treatment are vital to avoid long-term consequences. If you test positive, you will be able to start treatment immediately and avoid passing an infection to a partner or risking other health side effects.
Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is another possible cause of green vaginal discharge.
Unlike typical STIs, BV is not solely transmitted through sexual contact, but it is strongly associated with sexual activity and changes in sexual partners. BV is caused by an imbalance of the “good” and “harmful” bacteria that are normally found in a woman’s vagina.
- Researchers aren’t 100% sure what causes BV, but they suspect that this bacterial imbalance can be caused by having a new or multiple sex partners, or through excessive douching or cleaning of the female genitals. BV is most common in those who are sexually active.
- Despite bacterial vaginosis being the most common vaginal infection in women aged 15-44, many women with BV don’t know they have it because their BV doesn’t display any symptoms.
- Of those women who do display symptoms, their symptoms are often mild consisting primarily of a thin white or grey vaginal discharge (sometimes green tint) that has a strong fish-like odor, that is particularly noticeable after sex. Other symptoms include itching or rashes around the vagina, and pain or discomfort whilst urinating.
Having BV can increase your risks of contracting STDs such as HIV, genital herpes, chlamydia, pelvic inflammatory disease, and gonorrhea, and can also lead to pregnancy problems including premature births or a low-birth-weight baby.
If you suspect that you might have bacterial vaginosis, I recommend that you speak to your doctor as soon as possible.
Your doctor will examine your vagina for signs of vaginal discharge and bacterial vaginosis and may have a swab of discharge tested to confirm the BV diagnosis. If it comes back positive, you will be prescribed an antibiotic treatment that will clear up the infection within a couple of weeks.
I’m pregnant and have green discharge, what should I do?
The only thing more worrying than seeing green discharge is seeing green discharge while you are pregnant. For many people, this may be a big cause of concern.
During pregnancy, your body goes through numerous changes, one of those might include vaginal discharge. The sight of green discharge can be quite alarming and instantly raises the question: is green discharge during pregnancy normal?
The answer is no. If you notice green discharge whilst pregnant you should never try and self-diagnose, always talk to your doctor as they will know your medical history and be able to offer more helpful insight.
Green discharge during pregnancy might indicate any of the possible causes we’ve already discussed: trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or bacterial vaginosis (BV). All of which can complicate your pregnancy and hurt your unborn child.
However, during pregnancy there are two other possible causes of green discharge, urinary tract infections (UTI) and on occasion amniotic fluid, which will discuss below:
Urinary tract infection
When women are pregnant, they are more susceptible to urinary tract infections. As the uterus grows larger, it presses on the ureters (the duct by which urine passes from the kidney to the bladder) causing urine to gather in the bladder. This can cause a urinary tract or bladder infection.
Green discharge, along with an unpleasant odor and/or a burning sensation when urinating are common symptoms of urinary tract infections.
If you notice any of these symptoms then talk to your doctor. They will be able to treat the underlying infection and it should have no effect on your pregnancy.
What should I do if I notice green discharge?
As you will have gathered by now, if you notice green vaginal discharge at any time you should always contact your doctor straight away. Green discharge isn’t normal and is often a sign of an infection. If detected early your doctor should be able to test your urine promptly and treat it very easily with antibiotics. The risk of leaving an infection to fester isn’t worth it.
You shouldn’t be apprehensive about going to your doctor with any questions about vaginal discharge.
Most women will have a vaginal infection (with discharge, itching, or odor) in their lifetime. So don’t worry about it being awkward to bring up, your doctors will be very used to talking about it.
We prefer our patients to come to us straight away if they are concerned about abnormal discharge because the underlying causes are often very easy to treat if diagnosed early. The issues arise if the patient has delayed coming to talk to us.
Questions your doctor will ask
- How long have you been noticing vaginal discharge?
- How much discharge is coming out of your vagina?
- Does your vaginal discharge have a color?
- Does your vaginal discharge have an odor?
- Has your vaginal discharge been getting better or worse?
- Is your vaginal discharge constant or does it come and go?
- Have you been pregnant before?
- When was the last time you got a smear test?
- Do you have any other symptoms like pain or itching?
As we discussed, just because you may not be displaying the symptoms of an STD doesn’t mean that you haven’t contracted one. If you are in any way concerned that you might have an STD you should always visit your local STD clinic or speak with your primary healthcare provider.
Changes in your vaginal discharge can happen as a result of an STI but that’s not always the case. Other infections such as vaginitis, which is an inflammation or infection in the vaginal area, may also be the cause.
LetsGetChecked’s home sample collection kits arrive in discreet packaging with a return envelope and clear instructions inside. Online results will be available within ~2-5 days and our dedicated clinical team will be available to answer any questions you may have throughout the process. Should you test positive, we can provide treatment in line with clinical guidelines. We will send this treatment to your home at no additional charge, so there is no need to visit the drugstore.
You should consider testing if:
- You become sexually active
- You have had unprotected sex
- You are experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection
- You are entering into a new sexual relationship
- You have received a notification from a previous partner that they are infected
Please note that this content is for informational use and is not a substitute for medical advice. This content cannot diagnose or provide information about treatment. Consult with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or need specific medical advice relating to any symptoms, conditions, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not delay seeking medical advice, and do not disregard professional medical advice based on this content. Your healthcare provider can provide the most suitable guidance based on your situation.
