Foul-Smelling Vaginal Discharge
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Ravi P. Chokshi, MD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN), Critical Care)
Current Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow with Dual board certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Critical Care Medicine. | 5+ years experience managing a general Ob/Gyn practice and working in the Intensive Care Unit. | Previously Physician Lead of a large single specialty practice with 8 Physicians and 10+ Advanced practitioners. | Member of the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Patient education committee. | Frequent Medscape Consult contributor.
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN))
Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.
Content updated on Apr 4, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Smelly vaginal discharge
Vaginal discharge odor
There is a large amount of vaginal discharge with bad smell
Excessive amount of vaginal discharge
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Foul-Smelling Vaginal Discharge quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Large amount of vaginal discharge with bad smell
- Unusual smelling vaginal discharge
- Foul smelling vaginal discharge
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizAbout the Symptom
Normal vaginal discharge should be clear or white without significant odor and not cause any irritation. Discharge that is foul smelling with an unpleasant odor should be investigated for infection.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Intermenstrual bleeding
- Increase in vaginal discharge
Possible Causes
Generally, Foul-smelling vaginal discharge can be related to:
- Bacterial Vaginosis
A healthy human vagina contains various types of bacteria. When the balance of bacteria is disrupted, some types can overgrow and cause symptoms. Common triggers include vaginal washing, sexual intercourse, or use of an Intrauterine Device.
- Pyometra
Pyometra is extremely rare in humans. It occurs when there is a blockage of the opening of the uterus (cervix) and an infection occurs in the cavity, and it can fill with purulent material (pus). This occurs mostly in older, post-menopausal women when the cervix (outlet of the womb) is narrowed by tumors or previous surgeries.
- Trichomoniasis
Infection of the vagina by a parasite called Trichomonas. The disease is sexually transmitted but often does not cause any symptoms in men.
- Candidal Vulvovaginitis (Yeast Infection)
- Threatened Miscarriage
- Atrophic Vaginitis
- Cervical Cancer
- Cesarean Scar Syndrome
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Foul-smelling vaginal discharge may be related to these serious diseases:
Premature Rupture of Membranes
Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) is a rupture of the membranes (amniotic sac) before labor begins, close to term. If membrane rupture occurs before 37 weeks, it's called preterm PROM. PROM occurs in about 8% to 10% of all pregnancies. In most cases, the cause of PROM is unknown. Risk factors include infections of the uterus, cervix, or vagina, or increased amniotic fluid causing too much stretching of the amniotic sac.
- Chorioamnionitis
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Has the vaginal discharge odor worsened recently?
- How long have you had a change in vaginal discharge (color, odor, or amount)?
- Have you experienced abnormal vaginal discharge before?
- How has your symptom of vaginal discharge evolved?
- Have you had more vaginal discharge lately?
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Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizFind Similar Symptoms
Symptoms from similar body parts
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
References
Hildebrand JP, Kansagor AT. Vaginitis. [Updated 2022 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470302/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470302/Spence D, Melville C. Vaginal discharge. BMJ. 2007 Dec 1;335(7630):1147-51. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39378.633287.80. PMID: 18048541; PMCID: PMC2099568.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2099568/ACOG Patient FAQ
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/vulvovaginal-health?utm_source=redirect&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=otn
Reviewed By:
Ravi P. Chokshi, MD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN), Critical Care)
Current Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow with Dual board certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Critical Care Medicine. | 5+ years experience managing a general Ob/Gyn practice and working in the Intensive Care Unit. | Previously Physician Lead of a large single specialty practice with 8 Physicians and 10+ Advanced practitioners. | Member of the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Patient education committee. | Frequent Medscape Consult contributor.
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN))
Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
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Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1