Author
Home > Health > What is the Difference Between Leukorrhea and Steatorrhea?

Guilherme Mazui

•3 minutes to read

What is the Difference Between Leukorrhea and Steatorrhea?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

Leukorrhea and steatorrhea are two different medical conditions that affect different parts of the body. Here are the main differences between them:

  • Leukorrhea: This refers to the natural secretions released from a woman's vagina. These secretions are responsible for lubrication and maintaining the vaginal pH, preventing infections and ensuring reproductive health. Leukorrhea is typically clear or white in color.
  • Steatorrhea: This is the presence of excess fat in feces, causing stools to be bulky, difficult to flush, pale, oily, and foul-smelling. Steatorrhea can lead to oily anal leakage or some level of fecal incontinence. It is not related to vaginal discharge and has a different etiology and clinical manifestation compared to leukorrhea.

In summary, leukorrhea is a vaginal discharge with a clear or white color, while steatorrhea is a condition characterized by excess fat in feces, resulting in bulky, pale, and oily stools. These conditions affect different parts of the body and have distinct causes and manifestations.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Leukorrhea and Steatorrhea?
  • Comparative Table: Leukorrhea vs Steatorrhea

    • Comparative Table: Leukorrhea vs Steatorrhea

    Here is a table highlighting the differences between leukorrhea and steatorrhea:

    Feature Leukorrhea Steatorrhea
    Definition Leukorrhea is a vaginal discharge caused by physiological or pathological conditions in women. Steatorrhea is a fatty stool that occurs due to malabsorption of fat in the digestive system.
    Origin Vagina Digestive system
    Color Whitish, yellowish, or greenish discharge. Fatty stool.
    Odor Normal or offensive odor, depending on whether it is caused by infection. No specific odor mentioned.
    Causes Physiological causes (e.g., pregnancy) or infections (e.g., sexually transmitted diseases, vaginitis). Malabsorption of fat, which can be caused by conditions such as Crohn's disease, pancreatitis, or cystic fibrosis.
    Symptoms Vaginal discharge, irritation, itching, pain, or tissue inflammation. Fatty stool, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

    Leukorrhea is a vaginal discharge that can be normal or a sign of infection, while steatorrhea is a fatty stool resulting from malabsorption of fat in the digestive system.

    Read more:

    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.