We know that the female reproductive system consists of various components, each of which has its own benefits, and your discharge is no exception. Discharge is a fluid that can be used as a marker of a woman's fertile period. The cervix will secrete your cervical fluid as estrogen levels increase. This cervical fluid will be secreted as what is more commonly known as your discharge, mixed with vaginal skin cells, bacteria, and mucus produced by the vagina and cervix. There are several types of discharge and each of these types have their own respective meaning. 

Before we discuss the types of discharge, we will first discuss the basics of cervical fluid.

What is Cervical Fluid?

Cervical fluid is a fluid produced by glands around the cervical area (cervix). Naturally, cervical fluid is produced by cervical tissue which aims to protect the vagina from bacterial infection. In addition, cervical fluid can also help sperm move towards the uterus.

By paying attention to your discharge, you can also predict your fertile period or ovulation to help plan or prevent pregnancy. You can pay attention to the conditions of your discharge to find out whether you are potentially pregnant or not. However, the type of discharge you secrete is not always the same.

Type of Discharge

Changes in the type of discharge is an indicator of hormonal changes in the body. The level of these hormones can determine the texture of your discharge, it can be runny or thick.

1. Dry and Sticky
   Discharge with a dry and sticky texture generally occurs after menstruation. You will usually find that your discharge is dry and sticky in the post-ovulation phase and before menstruation. At this time, the amount of cervical fluid will decrease so that your discharge becomes dry and sticky.
2. White and Sticky
   Discharge that is white and sticky generally comes out during the pre-ovulation period. Pre-ovulation is the second phase of the menstrual cycle. During this period, there is usually an increase in the FSH and estrogen hormones.
   
   The FSH hormone will help stimulate the ovaries to produce follicles that contain eggs. Meanwhile, estrogen will thicken the uterine wall that will welcome the egg to be fertilized by sperm cells.
3. Watery and Wet
   Discharge that is watery and wet generally occurs when changes happen in the pre-ovulatory period and this indicates that ovulation is about to begin. This is usually a sign that you need to increase the frequency of intercourse to get pregnant.
4. Elastic and Egg White
   Discharge which is egg white in color and elastic usually occurs before menstruation.

Those are some types of discharge that you need to know about. You can pay attention to the condition of your discharge so you know when your fertile window is. However, avoid checking your discharge after sexual intercourse. This is because it will be difficult to make observations since your discharge will have also been mixed with sperm.

Many women also track their discharge as a natural method of contraception. However, this natural method of contraception of tracking your discharge still has its drawbacks, such as:

• Discomfort when taking the discharge
• Examination of the texture and color of discharge must be done accurately
• It takes time to recognize each woman's discharge type and pattern throughout their cycle, and to notice changes
• This method does not protect you from sexually transmitted infections and diseases

If you find it difficult to determine the characteristics of discharge, you can consult with a doctor, as well as to consult with them in determining your fertile window.