Demystifying Vaginal Discharge: What Every Fluid Your Body Produces Actually Is

cervical fluidhormone healthfemale anatomy
Written By Karinda

Let's start with the word itself.

"Discharge."

I genuinely dislike it. It doesn't do justice to the range of intelligent, purposeful, fascinating fluids that your body produces. Calling everything that comes out of your vagina "discharge" is a bit like calling every liquid in your kitchen "wet stuff." Technically accurate; practically useless.

So we're going to get specific today.

In this post I'm breaking down six distinct categories of vaginal fluid — what they are, where they come from, what they mean, and how to tell them apart. Because knowing what your body is producing and why is one of the most powerful forms of body literacy available to you.

1. Cervical Fluid (Cervical Mucus)

This is the one I'm most passionate about — because it is the most misunderstood, the most frequently lumped under the "discharge" umbrella, and arguably the most clinically significant fluid your body produces across your cycle.

Cervical fluid is produced by specialised cells inside your cervix — specifically, inside tiny crevices in the cervical wall called cervical crypts. There are four types of crypts, each responding to different hormonal signals and producing different kinds of mucus with different functions.

Before we go further, take a moment to think about what your cervix actually is. Not a wall at the top of your vagina. Not just a hole. A passageway — a portal between the outside world and your uterus. Along the walls of that passageway are these crypts, each doing something specific and purposeful at different points in your cycle.

The four types of cervical mucus

G mucus — produced by the G crypts in response to progesterone. This is the mucus that forms a thick plug at the opening of your cervix in the second half of your cycle (the luteal phase) and during early pregnancy. Its job is protective: blocking sperm from entering, and keeping pathogens out. When scientists have examined G mucus under a microscope, its molecular structure forms a web-like barrier that sperm literally cannot penetrate. When progesterone drops at the start of menstruation, this plug dissolves.

L mucus — produced early in your follicular phase as oestrogen begins to rise. L mucus helps dissolve the G mucus plug, opening the cervix back up as you move away from menstruation. It also creates a supportive structure in the cervical tissue that prepares for the more fertile mucus to follow. On its own, L mucus tends to be thicker, pasty, or creamy in texture — more opaque than transparent, with minimal stretch.

S mucus — produced as you approach ovulation and oestrogen rises higher. More fluid, more water content, and more translucent. When S mucus combines with L mucus, the interaction creates specific molecular pathways that support sperm transport deeper into the reproductive tract. Your body is literally building infrastructure for fertility.

P mucus — the most fluid of all the types, produced closest to ovulation. When P mucus is dominant, you'll typically notice a slippery or wet sensation at the vulva — sometimes without any visible mucus at all. (This is worth noting: when tracking cervical fluid, the sensation you feel is often more diagnostically meaningful than what you can physically see.) P mucus makes the vaginal environment temporarily more alkaline — normally the vagina is acidic, which keeps pathogens out, but this temporary shift supports sperm survival during the fertile window.

One more remarkable detail: as oestrogen peaks close to ovulation, you can produce up to 30 times more cervical fluid than at non-fertile times of your cycle. And specific cervical crypts can actually harbour sperm for up to five days, releasing them gradually as ovulation approaches. Your body is not passive in the process of potential conception — it is actively orchestrating it.

What to look for when tracking

Tracking your cervical fluid gives you direct, real-time information about where you are in your cycle and whether ovulation is approaching, occurring, or over.

In rough progression across the cycle:

  • Nothing or dry → early follicular, low oestrogen

  • Sticky, tacky, or crumbly → L mucus predominant, oestrogen beginning to rise

  • Creamy or lotion-like → moving toward the fertile window

  • Wet, slippery, stretchy — like raw egg white → peak fertility, P and S mucus, ovulation imminent or occurring

  • Dries up → post-ovulation, progesterone rises, G mucus plug reforms

If you never notice a transition to wet, slippery mucus across your cycle, that's information worth paying attention to. It may indicate that ovulation isn't occurring, or that it's happening very briefly. Either way, it's worth tracking and, if persistent, worth investigating.

Curious to learn what you cervical fluid pattern is telling you? Get started with my free Cycle Tracking Guide.

2. Vaginal Cell Slough

This one doesn't get much airtime, but it's worth understanding — mainly so you can tell it apart from cervical fluid.

Your vaginal wall is a mucosal tissue covered in epithelial cells. Like skin cells, these shed regularly as new cells are produced underneath. The process of this cellular turnover, combined with natural vaginal moisture, produces what's sometimes called cell slough.

How to tell it apart from cervical fluid:

Cell slough tends to be more crumbly, dry, or tacky in texture. Crucially, it dissipates easily when rubbed between fingers — it doesn't hold its shape or stretch. If you place it in water, it dissolves readily. Cervical mucus, particularly the more fertile types, will hold together and won't break down as easily.

You may notice more cell slough at times of increased vaginal moisture — after arousal, after exercise, or in warmer weather. It's a normal byproduct of your vagina's self-cleaning system, not a sign of infection.

3. Arousal Fluid

Arousal fluid is produced by a pair of glands called Bartholin's glands, located just inside the vaginal opening. When you become aroused, blood flow increases to the vulva, the labia and clitoris engorge, and this engorgement presses on the Bartholin's glands — releasing fluid that coats the vaginal walls and provides lubrication.

Arousal fluid is always clear and relatively thin in consistency. Like cell slough, it dissipates fairly easily and doesn't have the staying power of cervical mucus. Its purpose is functional: reducing friction, increasing sensation, and preparing the vaginal canal for penetration.

An important practical note: arousal fluid and natural lubrication are highly responsive to context. Adequate time, appropriate stimulation, and a nervous system that feels safe are all significant factors in how much arousal fluid is produced. Its absence is not a hormonal problem by default — it's often a context problem.

One thing worth knowing: Bartholin's gland cysts can occasionally develop when the gland's opening becomes blocked. If you notice a small, firm lump just inside the vaginal opening, this may be the cause. They often resolve on their own with warmth, gentle pressure, and attention — though persistent or painful cysts warrant a visit to a healthcare provider.

4. Female Ejaculate

Here's where things get genuinely fascinating — and where I had my own myths busted while researching this.

Female ejaculation as a concept is not new. It is described in Taoist texts from ancient China and in ancient Indian texts — the western medical establishment was simply very late to take it seriously.

Female ejaculate is a small amount (typically up to 1ml — roughly a quarter of a teaspoon) of milky, slightly thicker fluid produced by the Skene's glands (also called para-urethral glands), which sit on the anterior wall of the vagina near the urethra. Skene's glands are anatomically analogous to the prostate gland in male bodies — they arise from the same embryonic cells and produce similar compounds.

Remarkably, female ejaculate has been found to contain:

  • Prostatic acid phosphatase — also found in semen, where it supports sperm motility

  • Fructose — which can act as an energy substrate for sperm cells

  • No urine

Female ejaculate is released through the urethra (the same passage as urine) but is not urine. It can occur with or without orgasm, usually in small quantities, and there is no gushing or squirting sensation associated with it.

5. Squirting

Squirting is a separate phenomenon from female ejaculation — something I didn't fully appreciate until researching this episode.

Squirting involves the release of a larger volume (up to 10ml or more) of a clearer, more watery fluid that comes from the bladder and exits via the urethra. Studies have shown that the bladder is typically empty before arousal begins, fills during sexual stimulation, and empties again at the point of squirting.

The composition of squirting fluid is still debated in the research. The current consensus is that it contains urine, but is not only urine — it contains other compounds and is more dilute than typical urine. It's not simply a matter of losing bladder control.

A few other notes from the research:

  • Squirting can occur with or without orgasm

  • Some women report being more likely to squirt after ovulation and before menstruation — though this is anecdotal and not yet well-studied

  • Female ejaculation and squirting can occur simultaneously

Both are normal. Neither is "wrong." And the idea that squirting is "just peeing" is both inaccurate and, frankly, a myth worth putting to rest.

6. Semen

Worth mentioning briefly: if you've had receptive vaginal intercourse, semen can continue to be present at the vulva or in underwear for up to 48 hours. It tends to be thicker and milky-white in appearance, with a characteristic alkaline smell. This is completely normal and worth keeping in mind if you're tracking cervical fluid — semen can be difficult to distinguish from some types of cervical mucus, particularly in the days immediately following intercourse.

Signs Something Might Be Off

Most vaginal fluid is healthy, normal, and purposeful. But there are signs worth watching for that may indicate an imbalance in the vulvovaginal microbiome or an infection:

Colour changes: Green, grey, or yellow fluid is worth investigating. Brown spotting can be normal in the context of menstruation but unusual at other times.

Smell changes: A strong fishy odour is commonly associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). Metallic or strongly offensive smells are also worth attention.

Texture changes: A sudden increase in volume, or a thick, clumpy consistency (the cottage cheese analogy exists for thrush/candida for a reason, even if it's an unpleasant one) warrants follow-up.

Sensation: Any persistent itching, burning, or irritation — particularly if accompanied by other changes — is worth having checked.

Normal baseline: Approximately 2–5ml of secretions per day is typical. Usually clear, white, or cream in colour, with minimal odour. This will shift depending on where you are in your cycle, and will also be different if you're using hormonal contraception, have an IUD, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or perimenopausal.

Why This Matters Beyond Fertility

You don't need to be trying to conceive for this information to be relevant to you.

Understanding your cervical fluid across your cycle gives you real-time data about your hormonal health — whether oestrogen is rising appropriately, whether ovulation is occurring, how long your fertile window is, and how your luteal phase is functioning.

Understanding the difference between arousal fluid, cell slough, and cervical mucus means you can track your cycle accurately without confusing one for another.

And understanding that everything your body produces has a purpose — that none of it is shameful, none of it is "gross," none of it is simply "discharge" to be managed or minimised — is a foundational shift in how you relate to your own body.

What next?

If you want to begin tracking your cervical fluid as part of a broader cycle tracking practice, my free Cycle Tracking Guide walks you through exactly how — what to observe, when to observe it, and how to interpret what you find.

→ Download the free Cycle Tracking Guide

And if what you're noticing in your tracking raises questions (irregular or absent fertile mucus, persistent signs of imbalance, or symptoms that don't fit the patterns described here), that's exactly the kind of thing we'd investigate together in Harmonised Hormones.

→ Learn about Harmonised Hormones
→ Book a free 15-minute connection call

This post was adapted from Oh My Menses Episode 20 — "Demystifying Discharge." Listen to the full episode here, or watch below ↓

References: Natural Contraception and Conception by Jessie Brebner; Darcie Black (2021) on cervical mucus types.

About the author | Karinda John | BHSc Naturopath

Karinda John is the founder and naturopath behind Karinda Wholistix. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science, is a Trained Teacher in Natural Fertility Education through Wise Woman Business, and has been educating about menstrual cycles & female health online since 2019. She hosts the Oh My Menses podcast, co-hosts The Nuanced Naturopaths with Julie Forrester and has supported hundreds of women in her online clinic through her signature program, Harmonised Hormones

Karinda https://karindawholistix.com.au
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