One of the signs of labor is losing a mucus plug. As part of the pregnancy process, a mucus plug
helps keep the baby safe as well as announcing when labor will soon begin. Pregnant woman usually have a lot of
questions about a pregnancy plug and learning the basics about them can help
relieve some stress about what goes on when they are pregnant.
So what exactly is a pregnancy mucus plug? A mucus plug is a
large portion of mucus from the cervix that blocks the entrance to the
cervix. A pregnant woman’s cervix is what forms the
mucus plug as a result of the baby. It
is thicker than what comes from a person’s nose but is not hard; more of a
jello like substance according to most pregnant women. It is the guardian of the precious baby and
is a useful defense against anything that might harm it.
Mucus plugs generally look the same for everyone. A pregnancy mucus plug will look clear with a
slightly pink color due to blood that might have gotten trapped in it over time.
It is possible to have other variations
of color, but the normal mucus plug is usually something close to a creamish
color. Usually, it will look a lot like
its name says; like mucus. It can also
resemble vaginal discharge and be sticky. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference
between vaginal discharge and a mucus plug because they are so similar. It is possible to see pictures of what a
mucus plug looks like just by searching one on the Internet. Doctors will also show pictures of healthy
mucus plugs if asked.
The main purpose of a mucus plug is to protect the baby from
bacteria. The cervix is an opening in the body and therefore is a possible way
for bacteria and other harmful things to get into the female body. When not pregnant, women do not really have
to worry too much about what goes on down there. However, when pregnant a baby is defenseless
against anything that may want to harm it. A pregnancy mucus plug will block the entrance of the cervix which keeps
bad things like bacteria away from the uterus and in turn keeps the baby safe
during pregnancy.
When a mucus plug is lost, labor can be expected within the
next 2 to 3 weeks, but sometimes can mean labor will happened within a few
hours. Losing a pregnancy mucus plug
means that the cervix is dilating and that one can expect birth soon after. Sometimes, what is known as the bloody show
will begin happening after a mucus plug is lost, but not everyone sees blood
when they lose their plug. It is not a
painful process of losing a mucus plug and for most women in fact they never
even realize it’s gone! It either falls
out in pieces over a period of time, or just goes unnoticed into the toilet
since most people don’t really pay too much attention to what goes in
there. Also, in the last stages of
pregnancy, there is a lot of vaginal discharge so some women may not be able to
tell the difference between the two.
The normal time for a mucus plug to come out is after 36 or
37 weeks. If lost before that time, it
could mean that something is wrong and a doctor should be consulted with. It should be noted however that with all the
pregnancy exams and tests that require a bit of poking around down there, one
may notice parts coming out before the 36 week period. This is normal due to all the activity in the
area and doesn't indicate any problems. Sometimes a mucus plug doesn't come out
before delivery. However, this does
happened and does not mean that anything will be wrong with the pregnancy or
the baby.
Losing a mucus plug is just a natural occurrence which
happens before delivery. Someone who is
pregnant should not worry that their baby will be in any danger after losing
it. They can do all the things they had
done before they lost their pregnancy plug and be confident that their baby is
safe.
If it happens that a mucus plug comes out and is noticed, it
is not something that needs to be taken to a doctor. Pregnancy mucus plugs are just a part of the
process and do not need testing or any other attention. Simply dispose of it properly and prepare for
the upcoming excitement of delivery a baby.
As it can be seen, a mucus plug is a very natural part of
pregnancy and something that will happen to everyone. It is a gift that protects a baby from
anything that might hurt it. Once lost,
it announces the coming a baby and will let a woman know
to prepare for the happiest time in her life.
Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies
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