Losing Your Mucous Plug And What You Can Expect To Happen Next
As you approach the end of your pregnancy, it is not uncommon for you to lose the mucous plug which generally leads to the next question “does this mean that I am going to start labor soon?”.
We know just how frustrating it can be, but as mentioned before, every pregnancy and every birth is different, so there really is no certain way to say “Yes! You are going to go into labor!”.
When will labor start?
In most cases the mucous plug usually comes out after having a cervical examination and obviously sometimes it just comes out by itself. Either way, this does not give any indication as to when labor may begin. It should of course also be said that not every women who is pregnant will even experience losing the mucous plug either. In some pregnancies labor starts a few days afterwards and in other cases it doesn’t start for a few weeks. There really is no way we can suggest any pattern or consistency in the timing of when you lose your mucous plug to when labor starts. However, what it does say is that you are not far away and you should begin to keep a closer watch out for any early signs of labor.What does the mucous plug look like?
The mucous plug is often described as looking more like the mucous in your nose when you have the flu. It may also have a brown, red or pink tinge to it and is commonly referred to as the ‘bloody show’.Should you call your doctor?
If you are nearing full term and you lose your mucous plug then there is usually no need for you to call your doctor. However if you are earlier than 36 weeks, or you have a history of preterm labor then you should call your doctor immediately. If you lose your mucous plug and you are also experiencing bright red bleeding, or cramping then this could be a sign of placenta previa or placental abruption or possible another issue, so it is advisable to give them a call.
Read our article on the Stages of labor to ensure that you are familiar with what you can expect from your impending labor.mucous plug
