What does a mucus plug look like, and what happens when you lose it....All details please =-) I am 38 weeks pregnant with first baby, and I never heard of such a thing untill the other day!
2007-03-28 07:03:44 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
The mucus plug is an accumulation of cervical secretions, which form all throughout pregnancy to block the cervix and deter the passage of bacteria into the uterus.
Usually in pregnancy, the mucus is cloudy clear, thick and sticky. Toward the end of pregnancy, when the cervix thins, some blood is released into the cervix which gets caught up in the mucus and becomes bloody. The capillaries in the lower uterine segment break down a bit and can bleed.
In early labor, the plug is usually released as a continuous stringy discharge but sometimes it can actually resemble a plug.
Any vaginal discharge in pregnancy should be evaluated. It could be normal but it could be a sign of a vaginal infection, which may or may not impact the pregnancy depending on the type, a sign of a cervical infection (unlikely if the pap is normal) or it could be premature rupture of the membranes, which can happen at any time in the form of a small leak or a large gush.
If a wet mount (microscopic test) has been done and is negative and the pap is normal, and cultures for gonorrhea and chlamydia are negative and rupture of membranes has been ruled out -- then we explain that the discharge is normal.
I would ask your provider for an exam to rule out any problems
2007-03-28 07:09:06 · answer #1 · answered by nicole b 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its a mucas looking blob lol sometimes stretchy stringy looking with tinges of blood. It closes off the cervix, so once you start to dialate or your cervix softens, you loose this as your preparing to have a baby :) BUT not everyone notices them, in fact alot of women dont even know they've lost them :)
2007-03-28 14:11:04 · answer #2 · answered by jess_n_flip 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wish I could help you, but I was a cliche and had my water break on me before anything else happened! From what I remember from my reading, it's very rare to see it but it can look like a bit of bloody discharge. Good rule of thumb, if you're that close to your due date, any kind of bloody show - call your doctor and ask him/her what she thinks.
2007-03-28 14:09:18 · answer #3 · answered by PJ's Mom 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can lose it several weeks before labor it usually comes out clear slimy mucus but if it comes out a clotty and bloody labor is approaching soon.
2007-03-28 14:12:43 · answer #4 · answered by kissybertha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋