Vaginal discharge is totally normal. I think each one of us is well aware of that.

In case you have ever wondered why we have discharge in our lady parts, that’s to basically keep your vagina clean and flush out bacteria. Indeed, your vagina is a self-cleaning organ. You don’t actually have to clean the insides of it as that’s already taken care of and you only gotta clean the outsides. So, if you’re one to frequently douche, you might be doing yourself more harm than good. It’s important to note that while discharge is normal, sometimes, it’s abnormal. The color, texture and scent are something you always have to be on the lookout for as it could be an indication of something else going on with your body. But have you ever wondered why sometimes the vaginal discharge is way too much? Like, you’ll be sat at your desk minding your own business and your vagina suddenly starts crying a river? Guess what? That’s totally normal too. There are some things that cause excess vaginal discharge and we will comb through them:

1. Ovulation.

Most women experience excessive discharge during ovulation. During this time, progesterone levels in the body are high, which causes the body to secrete more discharge than normal. If you’re seeing heavy discharge 10-14 days after the first day of your period, this is just a sign of ovulation and nothing to be concerned about.

2. Pregnancy.

It’s absolutely normal for women to secrete an excessive amount of discharge in the early stages of pregnancy. The vagina is producing more mucus to keep the cervix sealed, moist, clean and healthy.

3. Sexual excitement.

Vaginal discharge can act as a natural lubricant for sex. The same hormones that cause you to become aroused are the same ones that create the steady secretion of discharge. If you’re sexually aroused, you may notice an excessive amount of discharge.

ALSO READ: 3 common vaginal infections you need to know about

4. Stress.

Stress can create hormonal imbalance which can affect the amount of discharge you secrete. Excessive discharge caused by stress is harmless but you may consider taking steps to de-stress in order to avoid future health issues.

Unless you’re experiencing other unusual symptoms like itching, pain, unusual odor, changes in vaginal discharge color, fever etc., heavy vaginal discharge usually isn’t cause for concern.

ALSO READ: What different colours of your vaginal discharge mean