Yellow or Green Discharge: Normal or Infection?
Quick answer
Yellow or green discharge can be a sign of infection. Trichomoniasis can cause discharge that is diffuse, bad-smelling or yellow-green, with or without vulvar irritation. Chlamydia often causes no symptoms, and bacterial vaginosis (BV) typically causes thin, milky discharge with a fishy smell. These infections can't be told apart by looking, so if a change in color or smell is new or keeps coming back, get tested.
Does this sound like an infection rather than a normal change?
Tick the field marks that match.
The more of these match, the more likely an infection is involved. This is not a diagnosis. Many infections cause no symptoms, so only a test can confirm what is going on.
Vaginal discharge changes from time to time, and it’s natural to wonder whether a yellow or green color means something is wrong. This page is for anyone with a vagina who has noticed a change.
Can yellow or green discharge be an infection?
Yes. Several infections can change the color, amount or smell of discharge:
- Trichomoniasis. A common infection caused by a parasite. Discharge can be diffuse, malodorous or yellow-green, with or without vulvar irritation. Most people have minimal or no genital symptoms.
- Chlamydia. Often causes no symptoms at all. Asymptomatic infection is common among both women and men.
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV is the most common cause of vaginal discharge worldwide. It typically causes thin, milky discharge with a fishy odor. It is linked to sexual behaviour, such as having multiple partners or a new partner, and to douching.
These infections can’t be told apart by looking, so testing matters. They are treated with different medicines.
What if I have yellow or green discharge but no other symptoms?
Many people with trichomoniasis have no symptoms. The lack of itching, pain or smell doesn’t rule an infection out, and chlamydia often has no symptoms either.
If the color change is new, or it keeps returning, order a test online. This is especially true if you have a new partner, more than one partner, or a partner with symptoms.
What if it keeps coming back?
Recurring discharge is worth investigating rather than waiting out. Persistent or recurrent BV is common, and reinfection is also common, most often because a partner has not been treated. Trichomoniasis and chlamydia carry the same risk.
Note how long it has been happening, whether it smells, and whether it comes with pain, bleeding or itching. These details help you choose which tests to order.
Which tests tell me what is going on?
Typical options are:
- A vaginal swab for trichomoniasis or chlamydia. Patient-collected swabs can be used.
- A urine sample, which can be used for some of these tests.
- A vaginal swab or clinical examination by a doctor or clinician for BV, which can be diagnosed from clinical criteria or from a swab test.
Treatment should follow the test result, not guesswork.
What can complicate untreated infections?
Untreated chlamydia can spread into the upper genital tract and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is linked to ectopic pregnancy and infertility. In pregnancy, trichomoniasis and symptomatic BV have both been associated with premature rupture of membranes and preterm birth.
These are good reasons to test early. Most of these infections are treatable with prescribed medicine, and early treatment helps prevent complications.
What should I do in the meantime?
- Avoid douching. It is not recommended, because it may increase the risk of vaginal infections.
- Use condoms, or avoid sex, until you have been tested and treated. Partners should also be treated.
- Note the color, smell and timing, and any pain, bleeding or burning, to tell a clinician if you need treatment.
Get care today if
- Pain in your lower abdomen or pelvis, especially with a fever
- Discharge with a fever, chills or feeling generally unwell
- Pain during sex or heavy bleeding with new discharge
- You are pregnant and notice new yellow or green discharge, or any discharge with pain or bleeding
- A tampon or other object may have been left in the vagina, with foul-smelling discharge
Call 911 for a medical emergency. Otherwise, urgent care or your doctor can see you today.
When to test
- If the color or smell changes, or it keeps coming backOrder an STD test online for trichomoniasis and chlamydia, which can be tested with a patient-collected vaginal swab or with a urine sample. BV is diagnosed from a vaginal swab or from clinical criteria, so a doctor or clinician can examine you for it.
- If you may have been exposed very recentlyTests can miss a very recent infection. If the result is negative after a recent exposure, plan to repeat the test later.
- After treatment, or if it comes backOrder a retest online. For trichomoniasis and chlamydia, retesting about 3 months after treatment is recommended, because reinfection from an untreated partner is common.
Common questions
Is yellowish discharge a sign of infection?
It can be. Yellow-green discharge that is diffuse, bad-smelling or itchy is a reason to order a test, because trichomoniasis can cause exactly this kind of discharge.
Can yellow or green discharge with no other symptoms be an STD?
Yes. Trichomoniasis causes minimal or no genital symptoms in most people who have it, and chlamydia is often symptom-free too. A change in color is a good reason to test, even if you feel fine.
Does yellow-green discharge always mean an infection?
Not always, but only a test can show whether an infection is the cause. You can order a test online that covers the infections that fit your symptoms, and a doctor or clinician can examine you for BV.
Can I treat it myself?
It's best not to guess. Clotrimazole and other topical antifungal products have minimal success against trichomoniasis, and CDC does not recommend them for it. Chlamydia and trichomoniasis are treated with prescribed medicine once the cause is known.
Sources
This guide is general information written by a patient advocate using public health sources. It is not a diagnosis. Only a clinician who examines you, or a lab test, can tell you what you have. Read how we write and check our guides.