How is mucus plug formed

As you get closer to labor, your cervix will begin to soften and widen in preparation for delivery, causing the plug to be discharged into your vagina.

It is usually a clear, brown, or blood-tinged collection of mucus. It may come out in strings or clumps, or perhaps all at once. It means that you will likely have a baby at some point in the next few hours… or weeks.

Like I mentioned, the mucus plug can be discharged weeks before your baby is born. Your body can also regenerate some of that cervical mucus, so there is no cause for concern regarding infection. If you see the mucus plug, you can start preparing for labor, even if it is weeks away. Eat well, hydrate, take walks, and rest as much as you can.

This way, when labor does start, you are physically well-prepared. If you notice what looks like the mucus plug before 37 weeks of pregnancy, contact your healthcare provider, because this may be a sign you are going into pre-term labor. Read up on the other signs of pre-term labor. Usually, sometime after you lose the mucus plug, contractions will start. You might want to track them using this handy, printable contraction tracking chart. This will help you collect accurate information about your contractions that you can share with your healthcare provider.

This downloadable chart, together with our information on how to time contractions , should make preparing for labor a bit easier. Because the mucus plug can come out weeks before you go into labor, it's not possible to tell exactly when labor will start. Contact your healthcare provider if you notice this kind of vaginal discharge.

Your provider can confirm it and advise you on the next steps. If the mucus plug has come loose, you might want to get your hospital bag ready for when it's time to go. If you have written a birth plan , now might be a good time to read over it, and pack it in your hospital bag, too. If you do see tissue, try collecting it in a clean container so your doctor can have it analyzed. Related: Everything you need to know about miscarriage.

As you near delivery, it may indicate more. Your doctor or midwife has likely heard any and all questions related to cervical mucus, mucus plugs, and other weird pregnancy quirks. Labor could be hours or days away. Or not. While every pregnancy and labor is different, here are six signs that labor is on the way. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the following…. Labor and delivery tends to occupy the minds of expectant parents the most.

Read on if you have questions about the signs and length of labor. The mucus plug is often clear, pink, and slightly bloody. Learn what to expect when you lose your mucus plug and what you should do afterward. Braxton-Hicks contractions can be confused with real contractions. A new study finds that epidurals do not affect child development in their later years. A fetal arrhythmia is an irregular heart rate — too fast, too slow, or otherwise outside the norm.

It's often benign. Postpartum diarrhea after a C-section is normal. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Mucus plug definition When it comes out Vs. When should the mucus plug come out? How is mucus plug discharge different than other discharge? What is early mucus plug loss, and should you be concerned? Does losing your mucus plug early mean miscarriage? Talk to your doctor.