What is the cause of white discharge from nipples during pregnancy?

After pregnancy, there is white secretion from the nipples, and we should pay attention to scientific response to this, because sometimes it is caused by some medical problems, while some may be normal physiological manifestations. Therefore, we only know how to treat it with scientific knowledge. For example, breast cysts, mammary duct ectasia, or breast cystic hyperplasia may cause this symptom.

1. Breast abscess

It is common in lactating women, with sticky, purulent discharge from infected ducts, accompanied by symptoms such as high fever, chills, breast pain, redness, swelling, tenderness, palpable nodules or fluctuations, and may also cause inverted nipples.

2. Mammary duct ectasia

The first symptom of this disease is nipple discharge. The discharge is mostly brown in color, a few are bloody and viscous, and are often spontaneous. It is common in non-lactating women over 40 years old or menopausal women. Examination of the discharge can show a large number of plasma cells and lymphocytes but no tumor cells.

3. Intraductal papilloma

This disease is more common in people aged 40 to 50 years old. 75% of the tumors occur in the area near the nipple. The tumors are very small, pedunculated and villous, and have many thin-walled blood vessels, so they are prone to bleeding. Laboratory examination can find tumor cells in the discharge. Sometimes, when patients carefully palpate their breasts, they may find a cherry-sized lump under the areola, which is soft, smooth, and movable. Breast pain may also occur.

4. Breast cystic hyperplasia

It is more common in women of childbearing age. The nipple discharge of some patients is yellow-green, brown, bloody or colorless serous, and laboratory tests show no tumor cells in the discharge. The two main characteristics of this disease are: one is the periodic distension and pain of the breast, which increases or decreases with menstrual changes; the other is the breast lumps, which vary in size, are tough but not hard, and have no adhesion to the skin.