Pregnancy is an amazing experience from start to finish. Most women will learn things about their bodies that they never knew as they begin the adventure of the most exciting forty weeks of their lives. During this time you will watch and be aware of every little thing that your body might experience. This becomes especially true as the last couple weeks of pregnancy approaches. This is a time of trepidation and anticipation as you await labor.
During the last two weeks of your forty week journey your body prepares for the hard job of labor and delivery. There will be many signs to herald your approaching labor but one of the signs that you can often watch for is the loss of the mucus plug.
Over the nine months of your pregnancy your body collects thick mucus in the cervical opening. This mucus normally collects in the first trimester and is added to as your body sees fit. The mucus plug helps to protect your uterus and growing baby from the outside world of bacteria and infection.
During the last two weeks of your pregnancy your cervix begins to thin out and dilate. This process is called effacement. Your doctor may perform a vaginal exam as your due date approaches to check your effacement level and determine if you have dilated at all. Your level of effacement is determined in percentages. It will be calculated from 1% to 100%. When your doctor determines that you cervix is at 50% effaced this means that your cervix is halfway thinned out and you are halfway on your way towards labor and delivery. Once your effacement reaches 100% then your dilation is also counted. You will dilate up to 10 centimeters which means your cervix will open to 10 centimeters in diameter to allow the passage of your baby. At 10 centimeters you are ready to begin to push your baby into the world.
Effacement and dilation are the result of your uterus contracting. The uterus can contract mildly for two weeks prior to true hard contractions and labor.
Your baby will begin to ride lower in your pelvis which is often called ‘lightening’. This process can happen two hours before labor begins or two weeks before. Once this happens the mucus will be passed. This means that labor may be hours away or one to two weeks off.
The mucus plug resembles a large thick bunch of stringy mucus. If labor is close the mucus plug might be slightly tinged in blood or a brownish haze. Many people call this a ‘bloody show’.
There are women who will pass the mucus plug while going to the bathroom and not even know it has passed. This is not uncommon. Some women might also loose only a bit of the mucus plug over a long period of time such as a week or two. This will only show up as a slight increase in vaginal discharge which might not even be noticed.
If you are earlier then 36 weeks and you pass your mucus plug or show any bloody discharge call your doctor immediately or go to your local emergency room. If you are past the 36 week mark and you see your mucus plug this might mean that labor is imminent but it might also not even start for two weeks so just take a deep breath and relax. The only true indicator of labor is contractions or your water breaking. But the loss of the mucus plug does mean that you are almost there and soon you will be holding your baby for the first time. There is no need to call your doctor if you loose your mucus plug if you are past 36 weeks because it a normal step towards the labor and delivery of your baby.
You should call your doctor if you experience any bleeding, your water breaks, or your contractions begin to become painful and in waves every five minutes for one hour. This means that true labor has started.
Sources:
http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5901,00.html
http://www.justmommies.com/articles/mucous-plug.shtml
http://www.webmd.com/
