Could this be amniotic fluid leaking? (TMI - Photo)

[PurplePansy05]

Hi ladies, looking for some help please.

I've had this discharge for 2 days now after a completely dry spell throughout my pregnancy. I am now just turning 13 weeks.

I had a good scan on Tuesday and then yesterday and today this happened. It happens regularly throughout the day.

I am probably exaggerating, but I had 3 miscarriages in a row before this pregnancy and I am panicked at the moment that something is wrong.

Called my MW, she's busy dealing with an emergency. Called GP who referred me to the EPU, EPU rang me and said they won't scan me because I have no pain or bleeding and their services are restricted due to covid. No one will even swab me and I don't know if this could be thrush or an infection.

To describe this discharge, it's:

• See through as you can see. There are patches of my normal, creamy discharge and then much larger patches of pure watery;
• It's odourless;
• Very thin, water-like consistency and look
• I feel constantly damp down there, it didn't wet my clothes, but I changed my pants once this afternoon and the second pair is damp too.

Could this be amniotic fluid leak? I have never seen amniotic fluid and wouldn't be able to distinguish it. I really don't know what to do now 😭 Please could someone share their thoughts? xx

I would say normal 🙈 i get it a lot. The joys of pregnancy and extra fluid discharge.

Thank you @Happy2be, if it's normal I'd really like to know too so I don't freak out on a daily basis! Thank you for replying

I started wearing panty liners when I was pregnant for just this reason! I'm sure you're fine OP x

@PurplePansy05 well im 22 weeks now and had it in my previous pregnancy too. Its not the nicest but just one of thoses things.
Also not the nicest but i had seen a few posts when in my 1st pregnancy that described amniotic fluid as smelling a bit like semen 🙈😂 would agree there too 🤣

I'm 25 weeks and I've had the same through out it's fine nothing to worry about, I also had previous miscarriage so can understand your fear at everything because I'm the same
Not to be gross but sometimes I can actually feel it come out my midwife said that it's completely normal xx

I read about that semen thing online too! Bit eww haha! This doesn't smell of anything really, maybe a bit like normal discharge, but then this could be the slightly creamy bit tbh.

I'd have thought with my currently superb sense of smell I'd have picked up on any scent tbh!

@boymum1x This is not gross at all, I'm glad you said that because I can feel it come out too! It does flow out, that's how it feels to me. Not a gush, but it definitely flows a bit.

Thank you so much all, you've put my mind at ease so I can sleep tonight! xx

I’m 35 weeks and I’ve been wearing panty liners most days of this pregnancy! Stock up!

I'd say don't worry but I'd also say phone your midwife

I recall my first pregnancy when my water broke that it was more of a peachy straw like colour

Thanks all, yes, hoping my MW will be less busy tomorrow.

You can buy pantyliners that change colour when they come into contact with amniotic fluid. Might help ease your mind?

Had this since about 14 weeks.
Also worried it was amniotic fluid initially...
Midwife examined me and took swabs at 16w appt.
When she saw how damp my underwear was she also was surprised but turns out it is excess liquid discharge. And nothing wrong.
Everyday since i had it. Especially in the morning upon waking and standing up and when out walking.
I have to wear panty liners as it goes through underwear.
The joys.

Op I had similar to this in my previous pregnancies. I had to wear panty liners pretty much from the start... Its Grim but the Joys of being pregnant. I would check with your mw but fingers crossed its nothing to worry about. Goodluck

I should've said I also had a swab at 30 weeks for DS1 as it was so much I thought my waters had broke in m&s but nope, just watery leaky bits honestly it's best to check if you are worried. The mws were lovely with me. I was in and out within a couple of hours and while I waited just listened to the baby on the monitor ♥

Not amniotic fluid leak simply based on volume.

If you had any sort of leak there would be a lot more than that.

Amniotic fluid does smell a bit semen-y as others have said.

@TheBoots Thank you, I have ordered them, but they won't arrive before next week.

I would really like to be swabbed just in case also because I had a procedure on my cervix (abnormal cells) many years ago, but nevertheless I am due to see a consultant in 3 weeks' time to get my cervix checked over. I hope my MW will call me back tomorrow or else I'll try to arrange a swab privately just for safety. xx

DSis, me and our mate all had loads of discharge from the start. I ended up buying cheap reusable panty liners off eBay because I felt guilty about the amount of disposables I was going through 😂

I did read at the time that it's your body's way of trying to prevent infection by flushing things away from the cervix. But don't take my word for it, you read all sorts on the internet

I’ve also had similar, probably not quite as much as that but nearly. Asked my midwife about it this week and she said it’s normal though she did ask me whether I have to wear I pad so I guess she was asking about volume. I said no as it doesn’t soak through my underwear and so she wasn’t concerned at all.

Ive had on and off discharge throught ny pregnancy with it becoming more often. Just a thin, watery, clear and odderless discharge alot like that. Have had to have thin panty liners on hand just incase. It is so hard to get EPU to see you sometimes you near have to be doubled over in pain and heavy bleeding even before covid!

Thanks all. MW rang back at 9pm last night, bless. She wasn't too worried but said she completely understands why I was and she'd be the same as me and I did the right thing to contact her and the GP/EPU. She said in her 30 years' experience she hasn't seen anyone with leaking fluid at my stage, whilst it's theoretically possible, it's very unlikely because there isn't even that much fluid yet.

I feel better. I have an appointment at my private clinic tomorrow, they'll likely check me over for thrush/BV just in case and have a look at my cervix due to me having a prior procedure on it. Fingers crossed it will be ok 🤞 Will update you tomorrow. Thank you for the reassurance when I needed it most, I feel much better today ❤

I am 22 weeks and I have exactly same problem as yours. I am also wearing panty liners but the discharge is so colorless that I have to touch and feel the panty liners to make sure if it's wet. I was really worried so I called midwife and she asked me to come and get checked where doctor took the two swabs one for amniotic fluid and one for any infection. Both came as negative. I had a 20 week scan in end of Jan where they confirmed everything fine. So I was less worried when I went for leakage check but to be honest it still worries me whenever I feel that liquid gushing on my panty liners. Doctors don't have answers that why is it happens or what kind of liquid discharge it is. Just keep eye on baby movements and be hydrated that's what they have suggested. And hope as other mums saying it's just a normal discharge for us.

@Sona3 I wish they offered that but I think the attitude is because I'm at the beginning of the second trimester, they still seem to think what will be, will be and nothing they can do for me. Whereas for me with my history, itsa huge milestone and I really wouldn't want to risk losing my son (we know it's a boy based on NIPT) xx

OP I think you've done the right thing checking it out. I'm sure your midwife is right that at 13 weeks you've not got much fluid so I'm glad she's put your mind at rest.

I just wanted to put a warning on this thread for ladies who read this in the future who are further along in pregnancy. I had similar - relatively 'dry' pregnancy and then at 22 weeks started getting watery discharge, about a teaspoon ish maybe ten times a day so not much. I read lots of threads like this where people said they had watery discharge too and not to worry. I also googled proper sites and they all seemed to say that runny discharge was normal in pregnancy and that if your waters broke there would be way more fluid than I had. Getting hold of the midwife wasn't easy (covid) so I left it. A week later I went into labour and my daughter was born still at 23+4.

Always always get it checked out. Do not listen to people on forums who mean well but are only describing their own experience. I'm not having a go at anyone on this thread (especially as the OP is only 13 weeks so it's not quite the same). I'm just concerned in case future people read this and don't do anything about their symptoms. Nine times out of ten it will just be runny discharge. But what if it isn't?

So if I have this at 16, 20 weeks or later I should enquire again and worry?

Well I'm not an expert but I would have said so if it's a new thing at that stage. It's annoying getting all these seemingly small things checked out, and sometimes you have to fight to get someone to listen to you, but the stakes are too high not to get it checked ♥️

I have exactly this (small amount of creamy discharge and more watery odourless discharge) and have had it every day for the last 6 weeks or so (now 31 weeks). I've been tested twice and both came back clear so it is likely that it is fine. They think it is linked to thrush - I've had constant UTIs throughout my PG and now take antibiotics every day. The antibiotics make me more susceptible to other infections (who knew?)

Having said that they still don't want to take chances at this stage and so have tested just to make sure which I think is definitely worth doing if you can - especially for anyone further on in PG. UTIs in early PG can increase the risk of a small tear which would leak amniotic fluid as well so I'm glad I got it checked.