Pink Discharges after Periods: Possible Causes And Treatment Options

From time to time every woman notices little pink discharges in her underwear. There are a number of factors that contribute to pink discharges after periods and in most cases a discharge is a sign of a proper body functioning.

More about Discharges After Periods

In her reproductive years, an average woman discharges nearly 2 grams of elliptic cells and 0.5 gram of mucus daily. However, this amount is not equal for every woman. Some women may have more than the average amount. This case is called leucorrhoea.

Epithelial cells are rich in glycogen. Bacteria that are found in the vagina can break down this glycogen to lactic acid, which keeps the fluid of the vagina acidic and protect it against various infections.

Usually about two weeks before the next period, a woman may experience a comparatively increased amount of vaginal discharge, which is not an automatic sign of pregnancy. Women, who experience irregular menstrual cycles, may have heavier pink discharges after periods.

Causes of Pink Discharges After Periods

Birth control pills are one of the primary reasons for pink discharges. Usually these pills are designed to mimic the hormones progesterone and estrogen in order to control menstrual cycles and stop ovulation. When a woman takes these pills, she disrupts her hormonal balance, which rather frequently results in spotting and bleeding after menstrual periods.

When a woman is taking these pills on a regular basis, but forgets to take one, she can experience a discharge as well.

Ovulation is also one of the reasons for pink discharges after periods. During ovulation the egg is released from a cyst. Estrogen causes the cyst to rupture and helps the egg to be released. When this happens, many women experience mild cramping and observe a comparatively small amount of blood in their underwear. The length of this spotting varies from woman to woman. It generally lasts for a day or two.

Pink discharges after periods can also be caused by pregnancy, when the egg attaches itself to the endometrium that is located in the uterus. In this case, a woman may experience light bleeding and think she’s having a light period. This type of discharge is commonly referred to as breakthrough bleeding.

There are frequent cases when spotting is accompanied by some additional symptoms like back pain, headache, nausea, frequent urination or abdominal cramping.

Possible Treatments

The treatment of pink discharges after a period usually consists of hormonal therapy (birth control and hormone replacements), which helps to control the imbalances and shrink the growth of uterine and ovarian cysts.

There are cases that require careful monitoring to detect additional problems that may require medication. If pink discharges after periods turn to full bleeding and is accompanied by blood clots and heavy cramps, a woman should contact a doctor immediately.