Women who are preparing to become mothers soon are tormented by various questions throughout their pregnancy. Representatives of the fair sex are especially worried before childbirth. After all, the process can begin completely unexpectedly. This article will tell you about what kind of traffic jams there are before childbirth. You will also find out the time of departure of this element and its features.
What is a mucus plug?
In a woman’s daily life, mucus is released freely, without lingering in the cervix. When pregnancy occurs, a sharp change in hormonal levels occurs. During all nine months, the female body undergoes changes that lead to the emergence of new functions.
Under the influence of hormones, mucus becomes thick, jelly-like, and tightly closes the lumen of the cervix, turning into a kind of plug.
Thus, mucus plays a protective role, creating a kind of tightness, preventing infection from entering through the cervical canal.
This is where its name came from - “cork”. Externally, it is ordinary mucus, only with a denser consistency.
A pregnant woman's mucus composition also changes.
It contains a large amount of prostaglandins, immunoglobulins, as well as enzymes - mucin, lysozyme, etc.
Thanks to their bactericidal properties, they prevent infection from penetrating into the cervix and then into the uterine cavity. This enhances protective functions. Due to the increased production of estrogens in the last months of pregnancy, the concentration of which increases sharply before childbirth, softening (liquefaction) of the mucus occurs, which forms a plug.
Etiopathogenesis of gonorrhea
Excessive leucorrhoea that irritates the vaginal mucosa may be a sign of gonorrhea. The causative agents of the disease cause redness and swelling of the surface of the genital organs. The body temperature rises at the site of the lesion. Gonorrhea causes pain and burning when urinating. It becomes frequent and unproductive.
The progressive course is complicated by inflammation of the Bartholin glands (gonorrheal bartholinitis). Green-yellow mucopurulent discharge falls on them, flowing from the lesions (cervix and urethra). The tissues around the glands become inflamed and painful, and the organs themselves become greatly enlarged. Shooting pains occur in the external genitalia during movement and at rest. The woman's body temperature rises and a severe headache appears.
Failure to consult a doctor in a timely manner leads to spontaneous opening of the ulcers and the formation of fistulas with constantly leaking pus.
Gonococcal infection can affect internal organs (gonorrheal endocervicitis). In this case, mucopurulent discharge comes out of the cervical canal. A woman suffers from dull aching pain in the lower back.
If the rectum is affected, gonorrheal proctitis is diagnosed. Infection occurs when purulent discharge from the vagina enters the rectum. The disease is characterized by a frequent urge to defecate, burning and pain in the rectum.
Gonococcal infection can cross the placental barrier and infect the fetus. It can deprive a child of his vision or cause blood poisoning. Gonorrhea often causes miscarriage. The infection can cause inflammation of the vagina, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.
The fresh form of gonorrhea, which lasts no more than 2 months, responds well to treatment. But it is dangerous for the child in the early stages. The chronic form of the disease poses a threat to the woman and the fetus at all stages of pregnancy.
The number and severity of complications depend on the state of the woman’s immune system, the degree of danger of the pathogens and the affected organ.
If a woman was diagnosed with gonorrhea before pregnancy, she should get tested to make sure there is no infection. If you suspect gonorrhea, you should immediately consult a doctor and begin treatment.
The plug has come out - how long does it take for labor to begin after the plug comes out?
Exit of the mucus plug
- this is not an indicator that the pregnant woman will go into labor immediately after this. The release of a cervical plug is one of the harbingers of childbirth, but it only indicates that changes have begun to occur in the body in preparation for childbirth, and all organs and systems are preparing to participate in this complex process.
How long does labor begin after the plug comes out is a rhetorical question, since there is no close connection in terms of timing with subsequent births. Everything happens individually for each woman, and the time of onset of labor for each woman after the release of the plug mucus may differ.
Typically, the removal of the plug precedes contractions by 2 to 3 weeks.
But this does not always happen and not for everyone. Sometimes mucus may come out two to three days before labor begins. Sometimes the plug's release is observed several hours before birth - mainly in multiparous women. Many women are confident that the plug did not come out.
Apparently, the moment of her departure was missed - the woman simply did not pay attention. Moreover, after this, the amniotic fluid may recede almost immediately.
In many cases, the plug comes out in parts, which sometimes goes unnoticed by the woman. This can also happen after examination by a gynecologist: the plug is pushed out as a result of a reflex increase in the tone of the uterus. Sometimes it can come out painlessly in the toilet or shower. Although for many this process is accompanied by nagging, unpleasant pain in the lower abdomen, weakness appears in the legs, and the sensations described by the woman are similar to the state before menstruation.
Therefore, there is no exact answer to how long it takes for labor to begin after the plug comes out.
Placentation period
At 2-3 weeks of embryo development (4-5 obstetric weeks), the formation of the placenta begins. This stage of pregnancy is called the placentation period.
Layers of special cells grow from the walls of the fertilized egg, which penetrate deep into the upper layer of the uterus - the endometrium. From the embedded layers, cellular columns, or villi, are gradually formed. Later they transform into blood vessels of the placenta.
During invasion, damage occurs to the walls of the maternal capillaries and small veins. The fertilized egg, immersed in the uterine tissue, is literally washed by the mother’s blood and the secretion of the destroyed uterine glands. “Lakes” called lacunae form around it. As a result, the earliest stage of placental development is called lacunar. Blood from the mother's arteries flows to the fetus under pressure, creating circulation. On the 21st day of development, the embryo begins to have a heartbeat.
Minor spotting during placentation is normal. They occur when the fertilized egg sinks into the uterine tissue and fills the gaps. At this time, a woman may feel a slight aching pain in the lower back or lower abdomen. After a few hours or a couple of days, the bleeding will disappear without a trace.
Timing of the onset of labor in the first and second pregnancies after the mucus plug has passed
If we analyze the release of a cervical plug in a woman during her first and subsequent pregnancies, it turns out that the presence of previous ones does not affect the timing of the plug’s removal or how long it will take for labor to begin after the plug’s removal.
It is known that signs of impending labor in a pregnant woman, including the release of a mucus plug, occur at approximately the same time, regardless of how pregnant the woman is at the moment.
If during the first pregnancy a woman gave birth a week after the plug came out, this means that in the second case the same terms will be repeated.
Brown discharge in the early stages
- Frozen pregnancy
In certain situations, brown discharge may indicate a missed pregnancy. If a woman initially had all the signs of a pregnant state, and then they all suddenly stopped, plus brown discharge appeared on her underwear, then it is likely that the fetus died inside the womb. Gradual peeling from the uterine walls of the fetus causes the appearance of brown discharge. In order to dispel your worries and doubts, it is worth undergoing an examination. The most reliable will be an ultrasound examination, which will show that the embryo does not have a heartbeat.
- Cervical erosion
Indeed, erosion can cause brown discharge, which is explained by mechanical damage to the surface affected by the disease. Such discharge can be observed, for example, after examination in a gynecological chair. Erosion therapy is not considered during pregnancy and will have to be postponed until after delivery. Detailed details about the treatment of erosion after childbirth should be discussed with your doctor.
Premature removal of the plug - what does it mean?
Particular attention should be paid at 38 weeks.
If the plug comes off, this may be a sign of:
- presence of infection - must be treated urgently;
- the possibility of subsequent discharge of amniotic fluid and in the future - the risk of placental abruption;
- bleeding.
Bleeding can be suspected if the removal of the plug is delayed for a long time and is accompanied by the presence of scarlet blood. It is imperative to pay attention to the appearance of the plug: if the mucus is green, this is the result of the child’s oxygen starvation.
The slightest suspicion of bleeding
- a reason to seek medical help. You cannot hesitate, as placental abruption with bleeding may develop - a life-threatening condition for mother and child.
If the plug comes out at 38 weeks and leakage or discharge of amniotic fluid appears, this is a reason for an immediate trip to the maternity hospital.
If the pregnancy is less than 37 weeks, all of the above signs may be an indirect manifestation of the threat of premature birth.
How to recognize other warning signs
In order to understand how long it takes for labor to begin after the plug comes out, a woman herself can observe her condition and pay attention to the presence of other precursors of labor:
1. “Prolapse of the abdomen” is a time-tested sign. This is explained by the fact that in the last weeks of pregnancy the baby’s head drops - it becomes “inserted into the small pelvis” and is fixed there.
2. Changes in the gait of a pregnant woman associated with prolapse of the abdomen: it becomes “duck-like” and is associated with pressure from the baby’s head.
3. Accordingly, the uterus descends and no longer supports the stomach and lungs so much. The woman feels these changes: her general condition improves. Sometimes changes can be observed visually: the skin on the abdomen stretches even more, the navel protrudes.
4. An increase in the amount of fluid released from the genital tract is associated with possible detachment of the amniotic sac and leakage of amniotic fluid. Using special rapid diagnostic tests, you can quickly check whether amniotic fluid is present in these secretions.
5. “Weight loss” of 1 - 1.5 kg is associated with the disappearance of edema. It is a sure sign of imminent birth.
6. Frequent urination and the appearance of pasty or liquid stools. This is one of the most reliable symptoms of impending labor. Urination becomes frequent due to compression of the bladder by the fetal bladder; mushy stool is the result of sharply increased, “peak” amounts of estrogen produced.
7. “Training” contractions are sharp contractions of the abdominal muscles. They are easy to differentiate from true contractions by their irregularity, varying duration and painlessness.
8. Unpleasant aching sensations in the lower abdomen and back are associated with sprained ligaments.
9. Changes in the emotional background and mood, the appearance of vegetative symptoms: feelings of heat, hot flashes, sweating, apathy, tearfulness, and sleep disturbances begin to disturb. Associated with maximum estrogen production and decreased progesterone production.
10. Often at the 37th week, and for many - at the 39th week, another harbinger of labor appears - late toxicosis.
Uteroplacental circulation
At the 6th week of embryo development (8th obstetric week), there is a peak invasion of tissues of the developing placenta into the walls of the spiral arteries of the endometrial segments of the uterus. Maternal blood vessels connect to the circulatory network of the placenta. At this stage, the utero-embryonic circulation intensively develops. The vessels rapidly increase in size and fill with blood. Its flow to the woman’s uterus increases significantly.
Invasion of the vascular walls and congestion of the genital circulatory system can cause minor bleeding.
Normal discharge is brown or yellowish in color. After 1-2 days they disappear without a trace. Simultaneously with bleeding, nagging pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region may occur. They are caused by invasion and pressure of congested vessels on adjacent tissues. This condition does not pose a threat to the pregnant woman and her baby.
What to do if the plug comes off
If the plug comes off, you need to follow some additional hygiene rules:
- avoid swimming in the pool, sea and other public bodies of water to avoid infection;
- do not take a bath - it is advisable to wash in the shower;
- avoid unprotected sex (without a condom).
And you urgently need to notify the doctor that the plug has come off.
In any case, if the plug has come out, but there are no signs of other warning signs yet, you need not to go far or for a long time from home, and be ready to quickly get ready to go to the hospital at any time, because the question of how long it takes for labor to begin after the plug comes out can sometimes be resolved in the near future.
If one of the emergency situations occurs, you should not panic.
With modern methods and capabilities, medicine successfully copes with such problems.
Pregnancy is a miracle. And she brings a lot of new things into a woman’s life: new concepts, a new regime, new sensations, new phenomena. These include, for example, mucus plugs during pregnancy.
What is a mucus plug?
As a rule, before pregnancy, no one thinks about such a phenomenon as a mucus plug; there is simply no need for it.
Rather, women are looking forward to photos of cute, round bellies, are afraid of toxicosis, and are looking forward to an ultrasound.
But towards the end of pregnancy, before childbirth, it worries women much more. And not because it causes any inconvenience. No, rather, the situation is quite the opposite: the mucus plug during pregnancy is not felt at all, and you can only guess about its existence at the moment when it comes away. And then only if the pregnant woman manages to notice this moment. Which is also not very simple.
The mucus plug is one of several mechanisms to protect the child and pregnant women from environmental influences.
And, in fact, this is the very first barrier that separates the outside world and the world of the unborn child.
During ovulation, the entire body begins to prepare for the upcoming conception and pregnancy. This process does not pass by the cervix. Already at this time it is slightly softened, and its walls begin to produce a special mucous substance.
When fertilization occurs and the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus, the body finally understands that a miracle has happened, that it is time to start taking care of maintaining the pregnancy, and reacts accordingly to this information.
One of the manifestations of this process becomes a mucus plug: within a day after this, the mucous secretions thicken and block the entrance to the uterus.
It is finally formed by the end of the first month of pregnancy. And it goes away when labor begins.
Clinical picture of bartholinitis
Purulent spots on linen may appear as a result of the development of bartholinitis. The disease occurs when the Bartholin gland becomes inflamed. It begins with the penetration of a pathogen into the gland duct (canaliculitis). At this stage of the disease, a pregnant woman may feel well and not be aware of infection. Then a slight thickening of the tissue around the duct occurs. The mucous membrane near the source of inflammation turns red. When pressed, a cloudy green-yellow pus is released from the gland.
If the duct closes, the inflammation intensifies and spreads to the gland. Bartholinitis develops. The affected organ swells and partially blocks the entrance to the vagina. The skin around it turns purple and becomes hot. The inflammatory process causes fever, severe headache and chills.
A woman feels lumbago in the genital area. Touching them causes severe discomfort. It is difficult for a pregnant woman to walk due to intense cutting pain. When the abscess opens on its own, pus pours out.
If an inflammatory process occurs in the genital area, the pregnant woman needs to be treated in a hospital setting.
How, when and where?
The question of when the mucus plug comes off before childbirth worries many people. And understanding why this happens is not so difficult.
On the one hand, the removal of a plug before childbirth is one of the three main, most important and reliable. The other two are contractions and breaking of amniotic fluid.
On the other hand, in contrast to contractions and rupture of water, which directly indicate the onset of labor, after the plug comes off, labor can begin in an hour, a day, or a week later: according to doctors, it is considered normal if it comes off 2 weeks before the PDR or later.
Therefore, it is difficult to say how long you will have to wait for childbirth after the plug comes out.
It turns out that even if a pregnant woman has already lost her breath, this does not mean that it is time for her to go to the maternity hospital, but childbirth is just around the corner.
What does a traffic jam look like before childbirth? It is clear that it is not so easy to provide a photo of this phenomenon. In fact, it is a small clot of transparent mucus. It may be completely colorless or have a pale pink or yellowish tint. There may even be a small amount of blood in it, there is nothing to worry about.
Bloody streaks only indicate rupture of capillaries during dilatation of the cervix. If there is a lot of blood in the mucus, then the pregnant woman should consult a doctor, as this may indicate placental abruption.
How does the plug come out before childbirth?
Many people are concerned about how the expectant mother feels at this moment. The sensations may be similar to those experienced by a woman during menstruation: a nagging pain in the lower abdomen or sacrum.
It can go away during the morning toilet, for example, in the shower. In this case, the pregnant woman is unlikely to notice it.
In other cases, it is quite difficult not to notice this. There will definitely be traces of mucus on a pregnant woman's panties or bedding.
Before childbirth, the plug may come off entirely or in small fragments. Both are considered the norm. From this moment you can begin to wait for the contractions to begin.
However, if the plug goes away and there are no contractions, it’s too early to worry. Perhaps in your case the discharge is not caused by natural reasons, but, for example, by a vaginal examination by a gynecologist. In this case, it may take some time before contractions occur.
The main thing during this period is to pay more attention to personal hygiene: change bed and underwear more often, do not swim in the pool or reservoirs, and it is better to refrain from taking a bath and limit yourself to a shower.
If until now you have continued to be sexually active, now you will definitely have to give it up.
In this mode, the life of the pregnant woman will continue until labor begins.
You shouldn’t be afraid of the opposite situation: when labor begins and the plug still hasn’t come out. Firstly, perhaps it has actually moved away a long time ago, you just didn’t notice it. Secondly, even if this is not the case, it will be released along with the amniotic fluid just before birth. There's nothing wrong with that either.
How is childbirth?
If you have at least a rough idea of how childbirth goes step by step, it will be easier to navigate and get rid of fear and confusion. Although even those women who are not having their first birth often confuse false contractions with their first labor.
While there is still time, you can remember how to breathe correctly to ease the pain during contractions. In the longest first phase of labor, when there is still enough time between contractions, you need to try to relax. You can do this by breathing slowly and deeply. This phase can last from more than ten hours to several days, so you will have to save your strength.
During contractions, you need to breathe more often, as after physical exertion, and more shallowly. This type of breathing can be alternated with another: slow inhalation and sharp exhalation. This type of breathing allows you to better provide the baby with oxygen during childbirth.
Source
What it is
A woman’s body has many mechanisms that are aimed at protecting the fetus and stimulating its normal development. Decreased immunity, enlarged uterus, formation of placenta and many other changes.
The formation of a plug also serves as protection for the growing fetus from various viruses and infections that can come from outside. After conception, global hormonal changes begin in a woman’s body. They are able to change the consistency and amount of vaginal discharge.
Under the influence of progesterone, vaginal discharge begins to thicken and thicken. As a result of this, the formation of a mucus plug occurs during pregnancy. It seems to clog the entrance to the uterus and thereby protect against all kinds of viruses.
Cervical mucus, from which the plug will form, is produced by the cells of the cervix.
The formation of a plug occurs already on the first day after fertilization. But this stage ends only at the end of the first month of pregnancy.
Green color
The appearance of green discharge (pus) can be a symptom of diseases such as gonorrhea or trichomoniasis. These sexual diseases can provoke spontaneous abortion. Signs of this condition:
- Itching;
- Burning;
- Swelling of the labia;
- Pus spots;
- Unpleasant smell.
If such signs appear during pregnancy, it is necessary to consult a specialist as soon as possible and carry out appropriate examination and therapy.
Signs of a plug coming off
To answer the question of how to understand that the process of cervical blockage has occurred, you should first decide what the plug looks like in pregnant women. It is quite easy to recognize her. Especially considering the fact that in most cases it comes out in one go. Although sometimes there are situations when mucus is secreted in small quantities for a day or even more.
According to statistics, the plug comes off in the vast majority of cases during the morning toilet. Although this is not the only correct option.
This process may be accompanied by some accompanying symptoms:
- Pain in the lower abdomen. Sometimes they occur in attacks, sometimes they last for a long time.
- Feeling of aching in the lumbar region. Speaks of the approaching onset of labor. Unpleasant sensations are provoked by the pressure of the fetus, which is already located too low and by the divergence of the pelvic bones.
- Nausea. This is a completely optional symptom, but it happens quite often in cases where the plug comes off.
But the most important factor confirming the beginning of the exit process is the abundant secretion of mucus from the vagina. If the entire plug comes out at once, the woman will notice a formed clot of mucus. In terms of quantity, this is approximately 2 tbsp. l. As for color, there are several options available. The mucus itself is almost transparent, so the plug is also colorless.
But other options are also possible:
- brown blotches;
- yellowish tint;
- pinkish discharge.
If discharge occurs gradually, then you should pay attention to what color the discharge will be. The appearance of streaks of blood in the mucus or a completely brown color is also considered normal.
When to expect departure
In the last stages of pregnancy, other hormones called estrogens enter the active phase. They act in the opposite direction from progesterone and, on the contrary, thin the cervical mucus.
In general practice, this phenomenon is considered to be a harbinger of an early birth. Although it is not always the case that after the release of this formation, a pregnant woman immediately gives birth. Labor has not yet begun, so there is no reason to panic.
For some women, labor begins immediately after the mucus comes out, while for others it takes a couple of weeks. And in both cases, the situation is not a pathology.
Green impurities in cervical mucus may indicate insufficient oxygen supply to the baby. The situation is very dangerous, you should definitely consult a doctor.
After 38 weeks of pregnancy, a woman should listen more carefully to her own body so as not to miss the process of the mucus plug coming off.
This phenomenon is considered a close harbinger of childbirth, so it may also have certain accompanying symptoms that occur at approximately the same time:
- prolapse of the abdomen;
- false contractions;
- discharge of amniotic fluid.
If you have the listed symptoms or at least one of them, you can already expect the plug to come out soon.
Symptoms of salpingoophoritis
Discharge in the early stages of pregnancy that is yellow or green in color is most often a sign of an inflammatory process in the genitals. A copious secretion with an unpleasant odor characterizes salpingo-oophoritis. This is an inflammatory disease of the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
The pathological nature of the phenomenon is indicated by weakness, pain in the ovarian region and increased body temperature. Pain is observed in the suprapubic region and in the lumbar region. A pregnant woman may lose her appetite and experience problems with urination and bowel movements. The more active the inflammatory process, the more pronounced the symptoms and the stronger the pain syndrome.
Abdominal pain at the initial stage of pathology development occurs from the inflamed tube and ovary (if the condition is unilateral). Acute inflammation of the right ovary (or tube) may look like an attack of appendicitis. Inflammation of the left appendage and fallopian tube is mistaken for renal colic. Later, pain can be felt throughout the abdomen and spread to the back and legs.
The pain can be severe throbbing and piercing or moderate bursting and aching. In the chronic course of the disease, aching, dull pain is observed, radiating to the vagina.
Thick green-yellow discharge in the early stages of pregnancy indicates the presence of a purulent process. Such symptoms may occur if inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries is caused by a gonococcal infection. Trichomonas contribute to the appearance of abundant foamy leucorrhoea with characteristic bubbles. With severe damage to the genital organs, bleeding may occur.
The inflamed tube increases in size and puts pressure on neighboring organs. Some of it may transform into an area of pus. This condition is dangerous for a woman’s life.
Bleeding against the background of inflammatory processes may portend the onset of fetal rejection or its death.
If signs of an inflammatory process appear, you should immediately consult a doctor and begin treatment.
The plug has come out - what to do?
The main rule in this situation is complete calm and no panic. After all, no specialist can give an exact answer to the question of when the plug comes out in pregnant women and after how long they give birth.
Sometimes lumpy mucous discharge in a woman is observed after a gynecological examination. This phenomenon should not be taken as a harbinger of childbirth.
If the plug has come off and there are other symptoms of imminent delivery, then you should pack your things and go to the maternity hospital. But even if there are no other signs, the pregnant woman should notify her doctor about the incident, who will assess the situation and give further prognoses.
This sign rather warns the pregnant woman that she should prepare for childbirth, buy everything else the baby needs after birth and do other planned things. The only thing you shouldn’t do is plan any long trips during this period. At this time, it is better to try to be in close proximity to the house and have things ready for the maternity hospital.
Chlamydia during pregnancy
Purulent discharge from the vagina in early pregnancy can be a symptom of chlamydia. This disease often accompanies trichomoniasis and gonorrhea. Such a mixed infection is extremely difficult to cure.
In pregnant women, the lesion is often located in the Bartholin glands (chlamydial colpitis). Further spread of infection to the cervix causes chlamydia cervicitis. The causative agents of the disease affect the mucous membrane of the cervical canal. In this case, the cervix enlarges, becomes inflamed and swells.
With chlamydia, mucopurulent discharge has a white or yellowish tint. Since an inflamed cervix often bleeds, there may be blood present. A consequence of chlamydia can be erosion of the cervix.
Vaginal discharge has a strong, unpleasant odor. The presence of a fish spirit indicates concomitant bacterial vaginosis. Chlamydial infection creates favorable conditions for the proliferation of many pathogenic microorganisms, so if an infection is detected, additional research must be carried out to determine other diseases.
In addition to pathological discharge in the early stages of pregnancy, a woman experiences itching and burning in the genital area, an increased urge to urinate and pain when emptying the bladder.
Chlamydia belongs to the group of TORCH infections, which are especially dangerous for the embryo. Pathogens overcome the barrier of the membranes and infect the embryo. They trigger the process of destruction of organ tissue in the developing baby.
With chlamydia, there is a high probability of fetal failure and premature termination of pregnancy. If the baby was carried to term, severe pathologies often lead to his death after birth.
If signs of the disease are detected, you should immediately consult a doctor. With long-term and persistent treatment, a favorable pregnancy outcome is possible.
Is a traffic jam a harbinger of trouble?
The process of the plug coming out in itself is natural and should not cause panic in the pregnant woman. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you should immediately report this phenomenon to your doctor.
But in some cases, the release of mucous blockage may be a harbinger of the development of severe pathologies. In this case, the help of specialists cannot be delayed. It is best to immediately call an ambulance, explaining the reason for the call.
So, the symptoms that should definitely alert a woman are:
- Too early to leave. This applies to up to 38 weeks. Before this time, the fetus is still considered premature and unable to exist independently outside the mother’s body. Often the cause of this phenomenon is the development of colpitis. This disease requires mandatory treatment.
- Intense bleeding. Despite the fact that the release of the blockage may be accompanied by spotting, bright blood from the vagina, which is accompanied by severe pain in the lower abdomen, should alert you. Such symptoms may be a warning sign of placental abruption. The condition poses a direct threat to the life of the baby and the health of the mother.
- Any change in mucus secretion may be a sign of inflammation or infection. At any stage of pregnancy, this phenomenon is extremely dangerous and requires immediate examination and proper treatment.
- A woman should also suspect something is wrong if the loose plug has too hard a consistency.
- Excessive fluid leakage. Unknowingly, some women may confuse the release of amniotic fluid with the release of a mucus plug. In such a situation, there must be a specialist nearby who can control the situation.
In any case, a pregnant woman should report all changes in discharge to her doctor. Which, based on her data, will be able to have a more accurate picture of pregnancy.
Closer to the birth of the baby, the expectant mother accumulates more and more questions. One of the processes that is difficult to understand in firstborns is the passage of a plug during pregnancy, because it is difficult to describe this process unambiguously - for everyone it can happen at different times, look different, be accompanied by sensations that are different from previous experiences, for example, a friend in labor.
The mucus plug during pregnancy is a viscous clot that is formed by the cells of the uterus and is a kind of protective shield of the birth canal.
How does a traffic jam form?
As soon as she becomes pregnant, at the end of the fourth week, the woman’s body begins to develop a protective scheme.
When the fertilized egg is placed in the uterus, the cervix becomes soft, swells, and cervical mucus appears in it. During each subsequent ovulation, thanks to the work of hormones, this mucus becomes thicker, forming a kind of protective clot that clogs the entrance to the birth canal.
Why is a cork needed?
Every week a pregnant woman's body receives more stress, and the ingress of unnecessary bacteria can aggravate this process. To do this, the passage to the cervix is blocked by a plug, which during pregnancy serves as a protective barrier against various infections.
This does not mean that if the plug comes away during pregnancy before labor begins, the expectant mother will be completely defenseless during the entire period before the start of active labor. The child is protected by the amniotic membranes and is completely safe until the water breaks or leaks.
But after the plug comes out, it is much easier for infections to enter the body, so it is important to take precautions:
- change underwear more often;
- stop sexual activity, if you had one until the last weeks;
- refrain from taking a bath in favor of showering;
- do not visit swimming pools, rivers, lakes, seas and other bodies of water.
Trichomonas colpitis (trichomoniasis)
Copious discharge with a strong, unpleasant odor may be a sign of the development of a sexually transmitted infection.
Trichomonas colpitis is most often diagnosed in pregnant women. Pathology is an inflammatory process in the vagina, spreading to the uterus, its cervix, ovaries and urethra.
With trichomoniasis, a woman develops a creamy white or green-purulent foamy discharge. If gardnerellosis has occurred, a distinct fishy odor is felt. In some cases, bleeding occurs.
Trichomonas colpitis causes an increase in body temperature. Sexual intercourse causes pain to a pregnant woman. If the infectious agent has entered the urethra, the urge to urinate becomes frequent. When emptying the bladder, the woman experiences intense cutting pain. Often the act of urination does not occur completely.
Severe itching and burning occurs in the vagina, redness and swelling appear on the mucous membrane. A woman may complain of pain in the lower abdomen or lumbar region.
Chronic trichomonas colpitis can be asymptomatic. If a woman suffered from an illness before pregnancy and did not cure it, the disease will manifest itself during pregnancy in acute or chronic form.
Trichomoniasis causes complications during pregnancy, premature abortion and fetal death. If pregnancy does develop, the sick woman can infect her baby during childbirth. They are difficult. A child may be born with disabilities and subsequently lag behind his peers in development.
What does a traffic jam look like during pregnancy?
Expectant mothers repeatedly wonder what a plug should look like during pregnancy.
Depending on the characteristics of the mother’s body and the factors influencing it, she may look different during rejection.
Shape, size and appearance
In most cases, the consistency of the cork resembles jelly - a gel-like viscous clot. The pregnancy plug in the photo can be compared to a transparent jellyfish. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish the passage of a plug from normal discharge because its consistency does not necessarily have to be thick.
More often the clot comes out whole, in a mass, about a couple of tablespoons in volume. The size of the lump is approximately one and a half centimeters in diameter.
It is not a cause for concern when the plug comes off during pregnancy in parts in the form of small lumps, or simply spotting discharge, which in appearance resembles the approach of menstruation.
Color
The color of the plug during pregnancy can vary from transparent to whitish, beige, pinkish, yellowish, gray-brown - these are normal shades of mucous discharge.
Before the onset of labor, the uterus puts pressure on the cervix, so in the process of rejection of the plug, the capillaries burst. This is a natural process; a small amount of blood gives the mucous clot a soft pink or yellowish tint. For this reason, the cork may contain bloody streaks.
A small amount of blood discharge is acceptable, but a large volume of scarlet blood may indicate placental abruption or other disturbances in the natural process. A lot of bleeding is a reason to immediately go to the hospital.
Green color of mucus means that the baby does not have enough oxygen. A sign of oxygen starvation is an immediate reason for hospitalization.
How to distinguish a plug from a water leak?
Sometimes the discharge may not be of a very thick consistency; it is difficult to distinguish it from water leakage. However, the process of leakage is different from how a plug comes out during pregnancy.
Amniotic fluid often comes out in one large stream, but sometimes there are leaks. If the plug comes out several times in portions of up to 2 tablespoons, then leaking water can be observed continuously.
If when coughing, sneezing, lower back tension and any sudden movements there is a release of watery liquid, this is water. The cork may be liquid, but not watery; its consistency is slimy.
Endometritis as the cause of the phenomenon
The cause of serous-purulent or purulent mucous discharge during pregnancy may be endometritis. This is the name for inflammation of the inner mucous membrane of the uterus. The disease occurs more often in women who have had abortions, miscarriages, difficult births, or the installation of intrauterine devices. The most common source of infection is the vagina and cervix. Endometritis can occur against the background of inflammation of these organs.
Depending on the nature of the causative agent of the disease, discharge can be scanty or abundant. They have a liquid consistency. In most cases, the secretion has a fetid odor, since pathology often occurs as a result of the interaction of aerobic (needing oxygen) and anaerobic (receiving energy in the absence of oxygen) microorganisms.
With endometritis, spotting red discharge may also be observed. They appear due to the destruction of blood vessels at the site of inflammation.
Other symptoms of the pathology include fever, chills, moderate nagging pain in the lower abdomen and groin.
If signs of endometritis develop, it is necessary to call an ambulance and treat the disease in a hospital. With timely treatment and treatment at an early stage, it is possible to preserve the pregnancy, the health of the woman and the child.
When does a plug come out during pregnancy and what to do?
Mucus may come out immediately during labor or several days earlier.
The passage of a mucous clot is a natural process, which is a key stage in the onset of labor.
It is not always clear how to understand that the plug has come off during pregnancy. Sometimes the process goes unnoticed, for example, if the plug went away along with the amniotic fluid or while the pregnant mother was in the toilet.
The plug comes out before 37 weeks
When the plug comes out earlier than three weeks before the due date indicated by ultrasound, this is not necessarily something dangerous. This early period is not typical, so be sure to notify your doctor.
Early passage may be a sign of preterm labor.
Congestion at 38 weeks of pregnancy and later
For the 38th and 39th weeks of pregnancy, the plug coming out is normal.
At this point, when the plug comes out during pregnancy, labor occurs within 3-5 days.
If the amniotic fluid has not broken, there are no leaks and the pregnant woman feels well, there is no reason to immediately consult a doctor. The next time you visit the clinic, you need to talk about the event, and in the meantime, prepare for your imminent departure to the maternity hospital.
Sometimes the passage is accompanied by small contractions. If contractions do not become more frequent, their frequency is less than every 10 minutes, there is no reason to urgently go to the delivery room.
If you are 40 weeks pregnant and the plug has not come out, it’s okay. Firstly, maybe her exit simply went unnoticed, and secondly, she is able to come out during the breaking of her waters.
