You just had sex with someone new. But now something feels off. Maybe you were changing out of your work clothes and caught a whiff of something And you thought you knew yourself pretty intimately and all of your bodily scents!

If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works. The vagina has a unique fragrance. Some females may feel self-conscious about the scent of their vagina, but it is normal for a healthy vagina to have a slight scent. However, this odor can change when infections or other health concerns are present. Nutrition , health status, and other factors can affect the natural fragrance of the vagina.

Vaginal odor is any odor that originates from the vagina. It's normal for your vagina to have a slight odor. But, a strong vaginal odor — for instance, a "fishy" smell — might be abnormal and could indicate a problem. Abnormal vaginal odor that happens because of infection or another problem is usually associated with other vaginal signs and symptoms such as itching, burning, irritation or discharge.

Vaginal odor may vary throughout your menstrual cycle and may be especially noticeable right after having sex. Normal sweating also can cause a vaginal odor. Though it may be tempting to douche or use a vaginal deodorant to decrease vaginal odor, these products may actually increase irritation and other vaginal symptoms. Bacterial vaginosis — an overgrowth of normally occurring vaginal bacteria — is the most common vaginal infection that causes a vaginal odor. Trichomoniasis — a sexually transmitted infection — also can lead to vaginal odor.