The short explanation
Leucorrhoea is the name for the thin, white or clear, mild-smelling discharge that increases in pregnancy because of higher hormone levels and blood flow. It can be quite a lot, enough to need a panty liner, and that alone does not mean infection. If your doctor examined you and found it normal, that is reassuring. Signs that discharge may have changed to an infection include itching, soreness or burning; a curd-like texture; a strong or fishy smell; a green, yellow or grey colour; or pain when passing urine. A watery leak that keeps the pad wet could be amniotic fluid and needs checking straight away. Any bleeding also needs prompt attention.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Wearing cotton underwear, changing liners often and avoiding douching or perfumed washes help with comfort.
- Do not use tampons in pregnancy.
- It is completely reasonable to ask for a re-check if the discharge changes; antenatal teams expect it.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you whether your discharge has changed since your last check. If you notice any of the warning changes, a fresh examination is the way to be sure.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- What changes should make me come back to be checked?
- How can I tell leucorrhoea from leaking water?
- Is it all right to use panty liners?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Emergency — call 112 now
- Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, or a gush of fluid with the baby moving less.
Get help the same day
- Get care the same day if you think water is leaking, or for bleeding, fever or belly pain.
Book an appointment soon
- See your doctor within a few days if discharge itches, burns, smells bad or changes colour.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- Mention your worries at your next antenatal visit.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Vaginal discharge NHS
- Vaginal yeast infection MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Vaginal diseases MedlinePlus (NIH)
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
Did this answer your question?
Whatever you choose is filed against this version of the answer, never against you, and it is never shown as a count.
“Explain more simply” asks you which part was hard to follow, so the author knows what to rewrite. “My question is different” opens a private follow-up with this answer attached.
Saving, following up and reporting are all private. Nothing you do on this page is visible to other readers or to the doctor who wrote it, unless you ask a question.