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 Feb 6, 2025
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.
- Trichomoniasis
Infection of the vagina by a parasite called Trichomonas. The disease is sexually transmitted but often does not cause any symptoms in men.
- Atrophic Vaginitis
A condition in which the vaginal surface becomes dry and thin, commonly seen after menopause due to decreased female hormone levels. Symptoms include itching and painful intercourse.
- Infection After Perineal Laceration Repair
- Candidal Vulvovaginitis (Yeast Infection)
- Pyometra
- Threatened Miscarriage
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Foul-smelling vaginal discharge may be related to these serious diseases:
- Chorioamnionitis
Chorioamnionitis is a pregnancy condition where the tissues and fluid around the fetus (unborn baby) become infected. This typically occurs in labor after the water bag (amniotic sac) is broken, but can occur before this as well. This is a serious condition that requires delivery of the fetus to protect both the mother and the baby.
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Premature Rupture of Membranes
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Has the vaginal discharge odor worsened recently?
- How often do you experience abnormal color, amount, or odor of vaginal discharge?
- Have you had more vaginal discharge lately?
- Do you have a thick white discharge like cottage cheese or yogurt?
- Is your vaginal discharge yellow?
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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