Is Vaginal Dryness a Symptom of a Period or Pregnancy? All Questions Answered

Experiencing vaginal dryness can be irritating - or even painful in some cases.

As there are many hormonal changes that your body goes through, vaginal dryness can be one of the early signs of pregnancy.

But pregnancy is simply one of many potential causes of vaginal dryness.

For example, many women experience vaginal dryness a few days before their period. That's because of the low level of estrogen that occurs right before the bleeding starts.

Understanding the symptoms you’re experiencing is vital to maintaining your health and nurturing your relationship with your body.

We’ll dive deeper into the causes and symptoms related to the condition.

Our goal is to understand what it might be related to in your case - period, pregnancy, or something entirely different.

To do that, we need to go back to the basics.

What is vaginal dryness?

Vaginal dryness happens when there’s a lack of the usual moisture inside of your vagina.

It doesn’t only mean the inside of the vaginal canal isn’t lubricated enough - the vulva can be dry and irritated as well.

Estrogen as the primary driver

Estrogen is the hormone responsible for maintaining lubrication of the vaginal tissues.

So, if the estrogen levels drop, there’s less fluid in the canal, and the tissues start to become thin and dry. When the tissues of your vagina aren’t moisturised enough, they become dry and, therefore, not as elastic as usual.

Dryness can occur at any point in your life.

It’s a bothersome symptom, often accompanied by burning or itching.

Also, vaginal dryness can be an early symptom of vaginal atrophy. That is a condition that usually happens after menopause, and it targets the urinary tract, too.

Other than pregnancy and PMS, different causes can be related to vaginal dryness.

Luckily, it’s treatable with natural remedies or professional medical help.

Symptoms

When it comes to women’s health, it’s important to remember that vaginal dryness may look different for everybody.

The symptoms of vaginal dryness can include:

• vaginal itching and a burning sensation
• discomfort while walking, sitting, and/or putting on underwear
• vaginal discharge
• pain during sex
• bleeding after sexual intercourse
• persistent and reoccurring UTIs (urinary tract infections)
• peeing more often

Unsurprisingly, all of these symptoms are often followed by a lower libido. The impact of vaginal dryness on your daily life can have an extensive range.

Speaking openly with your partner and/or healthcare provider is crucial, as not having enough moisture in the vaginal canal can be a symptom of an underlying issue.

Causes of dryness

Vaginal dryness is caused by low estrogen levels. The trick is - there are many underlying problems that can affect estrogen production. It can be a sign you’re pregnant or one of PMS symptoms.

Taking antidepressants or antihistamines, experiencing high stress and anxiety, and even smoking cigarettes - all of these can be potential causes of vaginal dryness. Also, too much exercise can cause the production of estrogen to decrease.

Here is an overlook of some of the most frequent causes of vaginal dryness.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy

Pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding all affect the moisture inside of the vaginal canal.

When it comes to hormones - estrogen, cortisol, and prolactin all play a role in maintaining your reproductive health.

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, can increase during pregnancy. An increase in cortisol can affect estrogen levels, which makes the vaginal walls become thin and dry.

The changes in different hormone levels continue postpartum, as well. After childbirth, prolactin production increases. Prolactin can inhibit the production of estrogen, too.

On the other hand, infections and dehydration can cause vaginal dryness during pregnancy. There’s a higher risk of yeast infections. Also, your body needs more water, so make sure you’re hydrated enough. 

A side effect of hormonal birth control

Taking hormonal birth control has many different side effects. One of the most common ones is vaginal dryness.

Another thing that’s usually connected to taking birth control is having lower libido, which is a possible reason why the walls of the vagina are more dry than usual.

If you're having trouble deciding between IUDs and birth control pills, read more in our guide.

Perimenopause and menopause

Major hormonal changes occur before and after menopause. For example, the production of estrogen decreases, which can contribute to vaginal dryness.

Due to hormonal ups and downs, even postmenopausal women may experience dryness and discomfort.

Furthermore, vaginal atrophy, often followed by vaginal dryness, is common during or after menopause. Vaginal atrophy implies having to pee more often and struggling with recurring urinary tract infections.

Is vaginal dryness a sign of a period?

Yes, having your period start soon is another possible reason to have less moisture in the vaginal canal. 

Many women experience vaginal dryness before a period. At this exact time of the menstrual cycle, just a few days before you’re expecting your period, the estrogen levels drop, which can cause dryness.

This is why dryness is associated with PMS.

Natural remedies

If you start experiencing vaginal dryness, there are a few ways to try and treat it naturally. 

Here is a list of natural remedies to help relieve your symptoms:

• hydrate more - your body may need more moisture
• eat estrogen-packed food - flaxseeds, dates, broccoli, soy products
• stay sexually active - alone or with a partner
• avoid perfumed lubricants and soaps - as these can cause irritation
• quit smoking cigarettes
• try pelvic exercises

Pelvic exercises, such as Kegels, can help boost the blood flow to the pelvic area. Talk to your healthcare professional about performing these pelvic exercises correctly.

When it comes to staying physically active overall, be honest with yourself and figure out if you’re exercising too much or too little. Extremes can negatively affect your hormones, so finding a balance is essential in this matter.

Which type of lubricant to choose

When there’s not enough vaginal lubrication, it’s recommended to opt for water-based lubricants. 

There are many water-based lubricants on the market. Make sure to choose one without propylene glycol or glycerin. These can decrease the amount of moisture in the vaginal canal, which is the opposite of what you’re trying to do.

Why you should skip natural lubrication

It is believed that coconut and olive oil - when applied to the external vaginal area - can help with the lubrication. Since they can cause irritation, sticking to the water-based ones would be better.

Furthermore, oil-based lubricants can sometimes cause the condom to break. If preservatives are your preferred contraceptive, using lubricants can still be a good idea. Just skip the oil-based altogether, natural or store-bought.

Maintain good vaginal health during pregnancy

Every expecting mother’s priority is maintaining her and the baby’s health. But, reproductive health can get overlooked easily.

Luckily, there are simple ways to maintain vaginal health during pregnancy. Here are some examples.

Diet

Changing your diet to include foods that balance vaginal pH can do wonders for your reproductive health,

• include vitamins A, B, C and E
• opt for healthy fats: nuts, avocado, olive oil
• don’t skip on probiotics: greek yoghurt, kimchi
• cut down on food that’s high in sugar

Cranberries are very beneficial for vaginal health.

Hygiene

Remember to wipe front to back, use mild water while showering and skip using female hygiene products.

During pregnancy, you should avoid wearing tight clothes altogether - underwear included.

When to See a Doctor

Most of the time, there’s nothing to worry about if you have vaginal dryness. If the problem persists or there is any bleeding or pain alongside vaginal dryness, you should see your doctor.

Before your visit, write down all your symptoms. This will give your doctor more insight into what the underlying cause could be so they can perform a pelvic examination or do a swab test.

Consult your doctor about if and how you can do Kegel exercises. Tight pelvic floor muscles can be the culprit behind vaginal dryness, and pelvic floor therapy could be helpful.

If you need advice on finding the right healthcare provider for yourself, take a look at our article on navigating reproductive health decisions.

Conclusion

Vaginal dryness is a common symptom that many women experience at some point in their life - whether that be during pregnancy, menopause, or right before a period.

It can occur as one of early pregnancy symptoms, but it can be a sign of PMS or menopause, as well. Hormonal changes, autoimmune diseases, and a high amount of stress can have a significant impact on your health, reproductive health included.

Pregnancy specifically means a rollercoaster of hormonal changes, so you should pay more attention to your vaginal health. You can change your diet to be more nutrient and vitamin-based and pay more attention to your hygiene.

Opting for a water-based vaginal lubricant may be the best idea, as oil-based natural lubricants often do more bad than good.

In any case, you should never be experiencing pain during sexual intercourse. If that happens, understanding the root of the problem is essential. Having that in mind, you can try to treat vaginal dryness naturally or choose to talk to a medical professional.

‍