Discharge during early pregnancy is totally normal and should not be something to worry about unless it goes outside of the normal range of symptoms.

It is very common that during pregnancy the woman becomes concerned by the appearance of excess vaginal secretion and some think that it may be an infection. Although it may be unpleasant for the woman and her partner, it is however not harmful to neither them nor the baby.

Sometimes it can become annoying and distressing to have to deal with the higher quantity of secretion, and it may be necessary to use cotton pads for more comfort, especially during the final term of pregnancy. You should never use tampons as this can introduce undesirable germs into the vagina which can in turn cause infection and put your body and your baby at risk. It is very important to keep the genital area clean and dry. Use only cotton underwear, avoiding tight clothing and synthetic materials. Make sure not to use harsh soaps or perfumes or other toiletry products.

This discharge during the early stages of pregnancy does not usually have a negative affect on your partner, though in some cases it may cause irritation as it is slightly acidic.

Here are some tips to make it easier to distinguish this discharge from an infection: if a yellowish discharge appears with a bad smell accompanied by a feeling of burning or itchiness, as well as reddening of the genital area, it could be due to an infection that requires specific medical treatment. Generally, your doctor would prescribe in this case a special cream and the problem usually goes away quickly and without risk to your baby. In the cases of fungal infections it is important to treat it before giving birth to avoid your baby contracting it.

An easy way to prevent infection is to carry out a careful wash of the genital area especially after visiting the bathroom. Always clean from the front part to the back, to avoid contaminating the genital area with rectal germs.

Overall, discharge at the beginning of pregnancy should not worry you too much and even if it turns out to be an infection, which is unlikely, it is very easily treated.