Departure of the mucous plug does not always mean the onset of labor. When pregnancy occurs, cervical mucus begins to form in the mother’s body, which thickens over time, and forms a dense clot that will cover the cervix throughout the pregnancy.
Due to this closing function, this clot was called the “mucous plug”.
It plays a very important role in protecting the baby from various infections and microorganisms, however, she must leave before the birth so that the baby can be born. As a rule, the mucous plug goes away about a week before the onset of labor and labor, but this can happen a month before they occur. Everything is individual here.
Signs of exit and appearance of the cork
So, most women are interested in the question of how exactly the mucous plug comes off, what it looks like, and what to do when it happens. But more about everything. The mucous plug externally resembles the release of a dense mucous clot, which has a whitish, yellowish or even pinkish color. Very often this clot has bloody streaks, but do not worry, the capillaries burst. However, pay attention to your further condition and vaginal discharge. If blood discharge will continue the next day after the cork has passed, then you should consult a doctor to detect the presence of pathology in the development of pregnancy and the fetus in advance.
So what are the signs of cork detachment you can find? Firstly, before her departure, most likely you will feel a slight painful sensation like during menstruation. Secondly, the appearance of the discharge itself, the mucous plug is more like a clot of mucus the size of two tablespoons. Therefore, you can definitely distinguish the passage of the mucous plug from the daily translucent secretions.
Now let’s talk about the most important moment that comes after the mucous plug has come off. Many women worry that they will not be able to notice or understand that the mucous plug has receded. However, there is no reason to worry, because even if the passage of the mucous plug is necessary at the time, for example, taking a bath or along with amniotic fluid, you will still probably notice this piece of mucus that appears in the water. So what do you need to do when the cork comes off?
What to do if the cork is loose?
As mentioned earlier, the fact that the mucous plug has come off indicates the imminent onset of contractions. Well, where there are contractions, there are births. Your first action should be a trip to your gynecologist so that he looks to see if there are any abnormalities in the state of the cervix, and also if there are any pathologies of the development of pregnancy and the fetus. Also from this moment it is extremely important to observe your sensations and vaginal discharge.
After all, when the cork is removed, childbirth can begin on any subsequent day, and, therefore, you must always be ready. To do this, check whether all the things necessary for a trip to the hospital were collected from you. It will be much better if, after the cork is removed, you cook them.
In addition, there is one very important point, if the cork has departed with the amniotic fluid, then you urgently need to collect and go to the hospital, because early discharge of amniotic fluid may turn out to be a lack of oxygen for the child. Therefore, it is important that after this moment you are watched by specialists who could quickly begin labor activities. You should also pay attention to subsequent vaginal discharge, they should not have bloody inclusions, or be brown, or with a pronounced unpleasant odor.
In general, if the cork has departed within a month before the due date of delivery, then it makes no sense to worry. This is a normal phenomenon, which suggests that childbirth will certainly come soon, and as a result you will meet your beloved baby. We wish your birth to be as successful and calm as possible!
