During pregnancy, it is normal to have some discharge from your vagina. But if you start to notice blood, changes in your discharge color or texture, or leaking of a clear watery fluid (or amniotic fluid), it might be a sign that:
There is an infection or a problem with the placenta.
Your water broke (fluid around the baby is leaking).
Labor may start soon¹.
Experiencing any of these before week 37 of pregnancy might result in a preterm delivery.
How to Know if You Have This
You’ll see something in your underwear or when you wipe.
Notice the color. Do you see bright red, pink, or brown?
Notice the texture. Is it blood, mucus, or a clear, watery liquid?
Notice the volume. Is it a few drops or spotting that a panty liner can handle, do you need a pad or two, or is it so much that you need more than 2 pads a day?
When it's Urgent
You have bleeding that is bright red or is so heavy that you need more than 2 pads per day².
You have a constant leaking of a clear, watery fluid that won’t stop³.
You have a gush of a large amount of clear, watery fluid².
Your vaginal discharge changes and looks bloody⁴.
References
¹Mayo Clinic. Preterm Labor: Symptoms and Causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/preterm-labor/symptoms-causes/syc-20376842
²American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). How to Tell When Labor Begins. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/how-to-tell-when-labor-begins
³Cleveland Clinic. Amniotic Fluid. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23310-amniotic-fluid
⁴Cleveland Clinic. Bleeding During Pregnancy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/22044-bleeding-during-pregnancy