Quantitation of vaginal discharge in healthy volunteers

The mean quantity of vaginal discharge measured on four occasions during one menstrual cycle in 22 asymptomatic volunteers was 1.55 g/8 h although the amount varied significantly between different days of the cycle. The maximum occurred at mid-cycle (1.96 g/8 h) and low mean values were seen on day 7 (1.38 g/8 h) and day 26 (1.37 g/8 h), contrasting with the widely held view that the discharge increases premenstrually. This cyclical variation was statistically significant (P less than 0.02) in celibate women using no contraception but was less marked in sexually active women taking the combined oral contraceptive pill.