What Causes a Fishy Odor During Menstruation?
Under normal conditions, menstruation will have a slight bloody smell. However, if there is a fishy odor, caution should be exercised as it may be caused by some inflammation or pathological changes of the endometrium. Therefore, if menstrual abnormalities or menstrual odor and color are found to be abnormal, it is recommended to undergo a comprehensive examination after menstruation ends. Normal menstruation is dark red and contains fragments of exfoliated endometrium, exfoliated vaginal epithelial cells, inflammatory cells, cervical mucus, etc. in addition to blood. The smell of menstrual blood is bloody, like blood. If there is a slight fishy smell, it is a normal phenomenon.
However, be cautious about some inflammations, such as vaginitis, cervicitis, endometritis, or some malignant tumors, which may cause menstruation to have a fishy odor or be accompanied by other abnormal phenomena. Of course, the diagnosis of these diseases cannot be solely based on these smells, and a comprehensive examination must be performed to understand the causes.
During menstruation, it is important to pay attention to rest and recuperation, ensure adequate rest and sleep, keep the external genitalia clean and dry, avoid sexual intercourse, and avoid overexertion.
