5 Reasons why your vagina smells bad

Vaginal discharge makes sure the vagina stays clean and clear of infections. Despite it being a normal part of a healthy functioning body, a lot of women are insecure about the color and odor of their discharge. The most important thing to know is that if you have white, translucent discharge and you don’t feel an itch down there, you’re in the clear. And although you may not like it, it’s also completely normal if your discharge has a somewhat strong odor. The way your discharge looks, feels or smells changes every single day and depends on the phases of your cycle.

But if the odor is so strong that it resembles the smell of a fish market you might wonder what’s going on down there, and if it’s something you should worry about...

We give you 5 reasons why your vagina can smell bad. Keep in mind that your vagina has a smell and its not roses. It is normal.

Odor during and after menstruating

That metallic odor you sometimes smell during your period is caused by a mix of bacteria, blood and tissue leaving the body. All women experience this and the odor is completely au naturel. Most of the time it’s not even noticeable by others at all. So, just go out there and do your thing, there’s no need to worry about other people smelling this intimate odor when you’re around them!

Tip: change your menstruation cup, tampon or sanitary pad regularly to avoid an odor that’s more noticeable.

Sex smells

You wake up in the arms of your sex partner and the room’s smell leaves no secrets as to what has happened between the two of you. Sex by itself has no odor, but you can still smell something because your bodily fluids came into contact with each other. In some cases this can lead to discharge with a more penetrative odor after sex. If this is something you want to prevent you could use a condom to avoid the fluids getting in contact. Also be careful when using lube! Avoid any lube with strong scents because they can mess up your pH-levels. This can lead to vaginal fungi and that’s not something you want.

STD alert

A strong odor between your legs can also be caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Trichomonas and Gonorrhea are STIs that often go hand in hand with discharge that has a remarkable odor. A trichomonas infection is caused by a parasite in your vagina, urethra or bladder due to unprotective sex. You usually don’t experience a lot of symptoms with this very common STI, but it can still cause discharge that smells very strong. When your discharge has a strong odor and is also green or yellow in color, you might have gonorrhea, a bacteria that infects the mucosa of the vagina, throat, eyes or anus. This condition is very contagious, so you and your (previous) sex partner should be careful before getting it on. Fortunately it’s also very easy to treat, and it speaks for itself that not only you but also your sex partner should get treated for any STI. 

Pelvic inflammatory disease 

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)is the collective name for inflammation of the uterine mucosa, fallopian tubes or ovaries. Pelvic inflammatory disease is caused by bacteria that enter the body through the vagina and uterus. In that regard it’s kind of like an STI but this doesn’t always have to be the case. With only 1 in 1000 cases each year, there aren’t many people who suffer from PID. You usually get PID after your menstruation and you may experience severe abdominal pain and a fever. You probably guessed it already, but you might also experience more discharge with a stronger odor. These symptoms are definitely not pleasant, so if you want to get it treated you can go to your GP and they’ll prescribe you antibiotics.

Bacterial vaginosis

The most common cause of an abnormal odor is bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis is not an infection but a non-contagious bacteria that occurs when there is a disturbance in your acidity down there. When you suffer from bacterial vaginosis, there are more bacteria (anaerobic bacteria) present than necessary which causes that specific fishy smell. The bacteria often arise when you have a low or reduced resistance, but luckily there is nothing to worry about because it usually goes away without you having to do something about it.

Do you still worry about the smell or color of your discharge and want to get it treated? Then you should go to your GP for advice. Another thing you can do is watch your diet because this influences your discharge more than you’d think. There are also some products that contain tea tree oil that can help you support your vagina even more.