Pink Discharge When Wiping or Peeing: What’s the Cause?
Medically reviewed by Peter Weiss, MD
Vaginal discharge can come in a variety of colors, including shades of pink. It might appear during menstruation, pregnancy, and sexual intercourse, among other times.
Pink discharge accompanying symptoms like pain or fever could indicate an infection or other health condition.
This article discusses potential causes of pink discharge, including when it's normal, and outlines when to consider treatment options.
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Causes of Pink Discharge
People with vaginas can experience different-colored vaginal discharge. There are many reasons why you might experience pink discharge.
Menstrual Period
Pink vaginal discharge can develop at the beginning or end of your period. It results from menstrual blood mixing with clear discharge and turning to a shade of pink. Unlike a full flow, irregular or light periods that last a few days could appear pink.
Sex
After sex, some people experience light vaginal spotting that can appear any color, from pink to dark brown. This usually occurs when the vagina is irritated from friction or not enough lubrication during sex.
While this does happen, spotting after sex is not necessarily considered normal, so check with a healthcare provider if you're routinely experiencing it.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, discharge may increase, and any color changes may become more apparent. Pink-colored discharge may be more noticeable during this time. During the earlier stages of pregnancy, it's possible to have some light bleeding, so any blood-tinged discharge may appear pink.
Medications
Hormonal birth control, especially when you start a new kind, can cause an estrogen imbalance. This can result in breakthrough bleeding, where drops of blood happen during times when you're not on your period. Any pink-colored discharge should resolve after a few months on the new medication.
Implantation Bleeding
Implantation bleeding describes spotting or light bleeding that some people experience shortly after a fertilized egg has implanted into the lining of the uterus. One or two weeks after this happens, the spotting might appear light pink, depending on how much bleeding occurs.
Implantation discharge may also be accompanied by cramping or a "pulling" sensation in the abdomen or lower back that may resolve in a couple of days.
Lochia
Lochia is the vaginal bleeding in the four to six weeks after childbirth. This discharge often begins as red, heavy bleeding before eventually lightening and potentially turning some shade of pink.
Lochia can include some blood clotting and may have a stale odor. If the pink discharge smells foul or includes passing large blood clots, check with a healthcare provider to rule out infection.
Ovulation
Some people may experience spotting during ovulation, the time when an egg is released from the fallopian tube. The light spotting may be pink-hued and occurs around 14 days before your next period. Cervical fluid is clearer around this time, so any blood or developing spotting would create a pink shade.
Ovarian Cyst
While some ovarian cysts (fluid-filled sacs) don't cause symptoms and may go away on their own, others can grow larger and prompt spotting in the form of pink discharge. These cysts often happen when there is a hormone imbalance or in a condition like endometriosis. You may also notice symptoms like pain, heaviness, or bloating in the pelvic area.
Infection
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause colored discharge that's pink. If left untreated, STIs can lead to an infection known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). You may experience fever along with other STI infections in these cases.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids (noncancerous tissue growths on the uterus) may not have any symptoms. However, some people experience light, abnormal vaginal bleeding that could appear pink when mixed with clear cervical discharge. Other potential signs of uterine fibroids include pain during sex, pelvic pain, and trouble urinating.
Miscarriage
Signs of a miscarriage (an unexpected loss of pregnancy) include vaginal spotting, which can be light and pink. This type of pink discharge would occur before the 20-week mark of pregnancy and could also come with cramping, nausea, and diarrhea.
Perimenopause
Fluctuating estrogen levels categorize perimenopause, the time leading up to the end of menstruation. As these hormones rise and fall, irregular spotting and periods that may appear pink can happen. Other symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and sleeping issues may occur. Perimenopause usually begins in a person's 40s.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is a rare cause of pink discharge.A main early sign of cervical cancer includes abnormal vaginal bleeding after sex and between periods and pink vaginal discharge. Other advanced symptoms include back pain, weight loss, and bone pain.
Symptoms of Pink Discharge
Pink discharge can come with several symptoms, as follows, depending on its underlying cause:
Discharge that's thinner or lighter in consistency and color than a heavy flow of period blood
Cramping
Discomfort or pain
Different odor
Vaginal discharge is common. For some people, the amount of discharge they experience can fluctuate daily and depend on other factors like the timing of their menstrual cycle, medications, sexual intimacy, and more.
Pink vs. Other Types of Discharge
Discharge comes in various colors, with different meanings associated with each.
In general, pink discharge can mean there is implantation or other menstrual-related spotting, or it could represent vaginal irritation or cervical bleeding.
Other types of discharge are:
Clear discharge: Normal and typically represents ovulation, pregnancy, sexual arousal, or a change in hormone levels
White discharge: Healthy, but if it's unusually clumpy or foul-smelling, it may indicate a yeast infection
Red discharge: Commonly means you're menstruating, but it may mean a cervical infection
Gray discharge: Might point to an infection like bacterial vaginosis (BV)
When Don't You Need to Treat Pink Discharge?
Not all causes of pink discharge require treatment. For instance, if it is due to your menstrual cycle, is a temporary side effect of new birth control, or occurs during a stage of life in which hormones are fluctuating like perimenopause, pink discharge likely won't require medical treatment. A healthcare provider can advise whether treatment is needed or not.
How to Treat Pink Discharge
Treatment options depend on the underlying cause of the pink discharge. Here are some common treatments a healthcare provider may recommend:
Birth control–related bleeding may go away on its own after a couple of months, or a different form of birth control can be considered.
STIs may be treated with antibiotics or other prescription medications.
Estrogen level imbalances due to perimenopause can be treated with hormone therapy and other drugs.
Uterine fibroids can be removed surgically.
Vaginal irritation from sex can be relieved with lubrication.
Ovarian cysts might go away on their own or require surgery if they're large or become twisted.
Complications and Risk Factors Associated With Pink Discharge
In some situations, pink discharge can come with complications. If pink discharge is related to a health condition or infection, then reproductive health issues, pregnancy complications, and PID can develop if left untreated.
Certain people are more likely to experience pink discharge. This can include those who have irregular menstrual periods, a history of STIs, or a reproductive organ-related health condition or cancer diagnosis.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
In most cases, noticing occasional pink discharge isn't an immediate cause for concern. This is particularly true if it's happening at certain points of your menstrual cycle or when you've recently started a new hormonal birth control.
Spotting or pink discharge that happens outside of menstruation and comes with symptoms like fever, pain, or light-headedness should merit a trip to a healthcare provider to rule out infection or another serious condition.
Pink discharge and spotting during pregnancy should be discussed with a healthcare provider, even if it's considered to be normal during early pregnancy.
Takeaway
Seek immediate medical attention if you notice pink discharge along with:
Abdominal or pelvic pain
Fever
Itching, swelling, or redness in the vaginal area
Blisters or sores around the vagina
Symptoms that seem to be getting worse
Exposure to an STI
A healthcare provider should check out any bleeding or discharge after menopause.
Summary
Pink discharge that happens as part of your period, after sex, or at the start of a new hormonal birth control may be normal. This can occur when slight tinges of blood mix with clear cervical fluid, appearing pink.
Other reasons for pink discharge range from vaginal irritation, perimenopause, ovarian cysts, miscarriage, and more. Check with a healthcare provider if you're experiencing any color discharge that is unusual for you, particularly if other painful or notable symptoms accompany it.
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