Losing your mucus plug when you're pregnant doesn’t happen in the same way for all women — and is different from bloody show.
Here’s what you need to know about these common signs that labor’s on its way.
What is a mucus plug?
The mucus plug is a barrier that seals your cervix, the opening to your uterus, during pregnancy.[1]
“The cervix is lined by mucus-producing glands, and normally produces a lot of clear mucus during the ovulatory phase, to help convey sperm to the awaiting egg,” explains Christina Adberg, M.D., a Healthtap OB/GYN at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “During pregnancy, the ovulatory function is on hold, and progesterone levels are high, so the mucus thickens and forms a bit of a barrier between the vagina and the amniotic sac”.
The mucus plug helps protect your baby from the outside world while you're pregnant until you’re ready to deliver. “It serves as a barrier, so that the bacteria that naturally live in the vagina don’t cause infections in the uterus during pregnancy,” adds Rebecca Amaru, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN in private practice in New York City and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
What does it mean to lose your mucus plug?
Losing your mucus plug means it is becoming dislodged, which is one sign your cervix is softening and opening up to prepare your body for childbirth.[2]
“Once the cervix dilates (or opens), the mucus can become loosened from the cervical canal and be released,” Dr. Adberg says.
You should never try to pull out your mucus plug, as you don’t want to risk infection. Just try to let nature take its course (as challenging as that can be in the exciting time leading up to labor and delivery!).
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What does a mucus plug look like?
The mucus plug is just what it sounds like: a sticky, gelatinous glob of mucus. It can be clear, pink, or slightly bloody, according to the American College of Obstetricians (ACOG). It may also be yellow or brown. It should not be bright or dark red, though, so if you think it is, give your practitioner a call.
Your mucus plug always discharges before you deliver. However, while some women notice the plug passing, others miss it entirely. “There is a big variation between women in the quantity and quality of the mucus,” Dr Adberg says. “For some women, it is huge, like a jellyfish, and for others, it is unnoticeable amongst the other naturally occurring discharge.”
Know that whatever happens, it doesn't predict anything about how your experience with giving birth will eventually unfold.
Does losing your mucus plug mean you've gone into labor?
Losing your mucus plug is not a sign you’re actively in labor. It can sometimes be a sign labor is coming soon — or not.
“There is nothing written in stone about the timing of the mucus plug passing and how soon spontaneous labor will ensue,” Dr. Adberg says.
In terms of when labor will start after your mucus plug discharges, it can vary from person to person. While some women lose their mucus plug weeks before labor begins, others lose it right as labor starts.
There's no need for concern if your mucus plug dislodges even weeks before your due date — it could still be a few weeks before labor actually starts. And your baby is still safe even after you’re unplugged.
In fact, your body continues to make cervical mucus to prevent infection, which means baby’s still snugly sealed off. So you can still have sex, take a bath and otherwise go about your business.
That said, anything you’re concerned about warrants a call to the doctor. “While passage of some mucus in the preterm period, especially in scant quantities, is not unusual, the passage of a large ‘mucus plug’ is quite unusual and should warrant a call to your doctor,” says Dr. Amaru, who is affiliated with Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “All preterm bleeding warrants an evaluation. Both can be signs of preterm labor.”
Your mucus plug will usually come out before your water breaks, though you can leak amniotic fluid through a tear — which doesn't necessarily mean you've lost your mucus plug yet, as it prevents bacteria from traveling up to baby, not water from leaking out.
Since the mucus plug can come out in bits and pieces over time and many women don't even notice when they lose it, what's more important is to get to a doctor as soon as possible when your water breaks or you leak fluid.
What is bloody show?
Bloody show isn’t a technical term. But it’s a sign that blood vessels in the cervix are rupturing as it begins to efface and dilate.
“Bloody show is used to describe streaks of blood (which are often darker and not particularly heavy) that sometimes accompany the passage of the mucus plug before or during labor,” Dr. Amaru says.
Bloody show is a good, normal sign of pre-labor, and sometimes occurs in conjunction with the loss of the mucus plug.
“It can happen with or without the mucus plug passing, but they are often together, so the mucus can appear bloody,” Dr. Adberg says.
If, however, you notice any significant change in your vaginal discharge before 37 weeks, if it suddenly becomes bright red blood (instead of blood-streaked discharge), or if you notice more pronounced bleeding, call your doctor or midwife ASAP to rule out conditions requiring immediate medical attention.
Passing bloody show is different from passing the mucus plug. Though they definitely have mucus in common, bloody show is a blood-tinged discharge that means it's almost showtime. The mucus plug is more of a one-time, jelly-like glob that sometimes means you'll have your first contraction fairly soon, but labor isn't necessarily right around the corner.
How long after bloody show will you go into labor?
If you've had bloody show, you can usually expect to go into labor within the next day or two — unless you're a fast starter, in which case you could have your first contraction within the next several hours. (Nice and predictable, right?). So get ready, but don't head out the door just yet.
What to do if you think you're in labor
If you’re having bloody show and/or labor contractions, pack your hospital bag and contact your practitioner — labor is probably only a few days away at most.
Otherwise, if you’ve just lost your mucus plug, sit tight. Baby's not here just yet, but he will be soon. If your doctor tells you to come in, a quick vaginal exam will determine how dilated you are and how close you are to being in active labor.
Either way, it's not long now before you'll be giving birth to your precious new baby!
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