Pink discharge: What does it mean, causes, and is it normal?

What causes pink discharge?

Pink vaginal discharge is typically caused by a small amount of blood mixing with normal vaginal secretions, often due to factors like hormonal changes, ovulation, implantation bleeding, infections, or cervical irritation. Some of the most common causes include:

• Your period: It’s common to have light pink discharge just before your period starts, as your body transitions to a different hormonal state (as a new cycle begins) or at the very end of your period [1]. That’s because the menstrual blood is either just starting to flow, or the flow is starting to slow down at the end of your period. The blood may mix with your cervical mucus, turning the discharge pink.
• Ovulation spotting: This is a type of light bleeding around the time you ovulate. Only around 5% of women experience mid-cycle spotting that could be linked to ovulation, but if you’re one of them, you may find that the blood is pink — a sign that the blood is mixed with cervical fluid [2].
• Hormonal birth control: If you’ve recently switched to a new method of hormonal birth control, you may have some bleeding. This can look like pink discharge, or like a light period. It’s most common with the hormonal IUD, implant, and low-dose birth control pills [3] and usually settles down within a few weeks or months.
• Sex: If you have pink discharge after sex, it’s usually a sign that you’ve been bleeding. This could be caused by friction (if you’re experiencing vaginal dryness, for example), a yeast infection, cervical polyps, infection of the cervix, or a sexually transmitted infection like chlamydia or gonorrhea [4,5]. If you’re concerned about pink discharge or bleeding after sex, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor or local sexual health clinic.
• Sexually transmitted infections: If you have an STI like chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis, it may cause pink discharge. While the discharge normally associated with these STIs is yellow or green, it can also appear pinkish. This is usually if your vagina is irritated, which sometimes happens during sex.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease: Pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID, is an infection that can affect your uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. It often does not cause any symptoms, but when it does, they can include pelvic pain, pain during sex, bleeding between periods and unusual discharge [6]. Although this discharge is typically yellow or green, it may also appear pink if it’s mixed with blood.
• Uterine fibroids: These are non-cancerous growths in the uterus which can cause various types of abnormal bleeding, including spotting between periods [7]. Again, this may appear like pink discharge, especially when mixed with cervical mucus.
• Endometriosis: Endometriosis can cause a range of symptoms, including abnormal vaginal bleeding, which might sometimes appear as pink discharge [8].
• Implantation bleeding: Even though there is currently no strong scientific evidence for this phenomenon, implantation bleeding is a type of light bleeding or spotting that happens very early in a pregnancy, usually a few days before your expected menstruation. It’s usually pink or brown, and can be very light — more like discharge than a period [9].
• Ectopic pregnancy: Ectopic pregnancy happens when a fertilized egg cell implants outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. These types of pregnancies aren’t viable, and can potentially be very serious, especially if there’s a fallopian tube rupture. One of the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy is spotting, which can look like pink charge especially if it’s mixed with regular discharge. Other symptoms can include lower back pain, abdominal pain, and pelvic pain, while symptoms of a rupture include sudden severe abdominal or pelvic pain, shoulder pain, and dizziness [10].
• You’ve just given birth: If you’ve recently given birth, you’ll have some bleeding known as lochia. This usually lasts four to six weeks, but can last for up to twelve. On the first day after delivery, the lochia is bright red, before it becomes dark brown or pinkish and gradually becomes lighter [11].
• Cancer: Rarely, pink discharge can sometimes be a sign of cervical [12] or uterus [13] cancer. If you’re concerned about your discharge or any other symptoms of these cancers, you should see your doctor.

Why do I have pink discharge but no period?

The most common cause of pink discharge is your period. But sometimes, you may have pink discharge during another part of your menstrual cycle. This could be down to a number of different things as highlighted above, from an infection to pregnancy.

How long does pink discharge last?

The duration of pink discharge can vary depending on the cause, but it typically lasts a few days. Hormonal changes, such as those from birth control, may cause pink discharge for a few days or weeks. Implantation bleeding might last one to two days, and if the discharge is caused by an infection or medical condition like uterine fibroids or endometriosis, it may persist or keep recurring until the underlying issue is addressed.

If you have pink discharge for more than a few days, it reappears in more than one cycle, or it’s accompanied by any other symptoms, you should consult your healthcare provider for advice. 

What other symptoms accompany pink discharge?

Whether you have any other symptoms — and what those symptoms are — depends on the cause of the pink discharge. Here are some common ones:

• Implantation bleeding: You may experience other symptoms like light cramping, headaches, mood swings, and nausea [14].
• STIs: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other STIs may have other symptoms like pain during sex, bleeding between periods, pain when peeing, strong-smelling discharge or yellow discharge and pelvic pain — or they may have no symptoms at all [15,16].
• Endometriosis: Symptoms can include heavy periods, very painful periods, pelvic pain, fatigue, and pain during sex [17].
• PID: Symptoms often include pelvic pain, abnormal discharge, and pain during intercourse or urination. Serious cases can cause a high fever, extreme abdominal pain, and sickness [18].
• Cancer: Cervical and uterine cancer symptoms include bleeding after sex, post-menopausal bleeding, pelvic pain, and heavy periods [19,20]

If you’re worried about any symptoms, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment. 

How is pink discharge treated?

The treatment for pink discharge is dependent on the cause. If it’s just a normal part of your menstrual cycle, then no treatment is needed. However, if it’s caused by something else, you may need to address the root cause. Examples may include:

• STIs: If the pink discharge is a symptom of an STI like gonorrhea or chlamydia, then you’ll be prescribed a course of antibiotics by your healthcare provider. You should also avoid sex until after you’ve completed the course — and always make sure to take the full course, even if your symptoms start to clear up before it’s finished [21].
• Hormonal birth control: Spotting due to hormonal birth control pills should usually only last a few months, so no treatment is needed [22]. For other types of hormonal birth control, spotting may last longer — on the implant, for example, you may experience spotting for up to twelve months [23]. If it lasts longer than this, speak to your healthcare provider for advice.
• Ectopic pregnancy: You must see your healthcare provider if you suspect you have an ectopic pregnancy. Treatment options depend on your symptoms, but you may need to take medicine or have surgery [24].
• PID: Pelvic inflammatory disease is usually managed with antibiotics, but in particularly severe cases, you may need surgery [25].
• Endometriosis: There is currently no cure for endometriosis, but there are various options for managing your symptoms, including the combined contraceptive pill and surgery [17].
• Uterine fibroids: Depending on your symptoms and their severity, your doctor may prescribe the contraceptive pill or medicines like levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), tranexamic acid, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHas) to shrink the fibroids and reduce any pain. If symptoms are particularly severe, you might need surgery [26].

When to see a doctor

You should see a doctor if pink discharge is persistent, occurs frequently, or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms such as pelvic pain, cramping, a foul odor, itching, or heavy bleeding. 

You should also consult your healthcare provider if you experience pink discharge during pregnancy to rule out any potential complications, especially if it’s accompanied by pain.

Most normal discharge is white, but for some people, it may appear slightly yellowish. Additionally, pre-period spotting can appear like pink discharge, and that's usually totally normal too. Knowing what's normal for you is key — so if you ever have any discharge, of any color, that isn't normal for you, or you're worried about, then you should see a doctor for further evaluation, advice, and treatment.

Get to know your body better

Every menstrual cycle is different — that’s why it’s so powerful to learn about what normal looks like for you. Natural Cycles allows you to track changes throughout your cycle, including spotting. That means you can learn all about your own unique cycle, helping you to better understand your own body and more quickly spot any unusual signs or symptoms.