![]() So, before getting too worried that yours has dislodged, consider that what you’re seeing may be other discharge. You can lose a piece or part of your mucus plug at any time during your pregnancy, but it may regenerate. What is early mucus plug loss, and should you be concerned? Related: Vaginal discharge during pregnancy: What’s normal? Other warning signs include itchiness or soreness in and around your vagina and pain when you urinate. If you see discharge that is green or yellow and smells unpleasant, you may have an infection. Whatever discharge you encounter, it shouldn’t smell foul. You may not know it until you see it, but if you lose the plug all at once, it might be between 4 and 5 centimeters long. Your plug may also come out in a form that’s more liquidy, as its characteristics can vary from one pregnancy to another. In fact, it may resemble the mucus you’re used to seeing in your tissue when you blow your nose. The texture of your plug may be stiffer and more gelatinous than other discharge you’ve had throughout your pregnancy. When you lose your plug, you may notice an increase in vaginal discharge, which may range in color from clear to yellow/green to pink - and even be streaked with new or old (brown) blood. The amount of it may vary by the day or week as your hormones fluctuate. Hormonal changes cause the discharge as your body adjusts to pregnancy. The vaginal discharge you may see in early pregnancy and otherwise throughout is typically clear or white. Katie Rustici, M.D., OB/GYN at Saint Joseph Hospital in DenverĪnnelise Swigert, M.D.How is mucus plug discharge different than other discharge? Either way, expect increased discharge during pregnancy, and don't be alarmed if you lose a "plug" (or two, or three) along the way. They might ask you to come in to be evaluated, or they might simply put your mind at ease (like, by assuring you that you aren't in preterm labor over a lost "mucus plug"). If it's associated with burning or vaginal pain, smells funny, or is very yellow in color, it could be a sign of infection which needs to be evaluated by a doctor.Īs with anything during pregnancy, if you're unsure or uneasy, it's always better to play it safe and call your physician. If it's watery, that could be a sign of your water breaking. Swigert advises women to examine it a bit (even if it's not exactly pleasant). Rustici says should always prompt a call to your doctor include "decreased fetal movement, gush of vaginal fluid, or painful contractions." When it comes to any discharge, Dr. She also notes that if a patient says they've lost their mucus plug and are also complaining of contractions, they should be evaluated. ![]() Swigert says she often has women calling her office to alert her that they've lost their mucus plug, but she doesn't have them come in for evaluation unless they're showing other symptoms such as spotting. Pitinan Piyavatin / EyeEm/EyeEm/Getty Imagesĭr. Rustici both say that's not what a pregnant woman should be on the lookout for. So, essentially, yes, the mucus plug can regenerate, but it doesn't really matter either way. Swigert agrees, and adds that losing a mucus plug early has "never been associated with preterm labor." "Some women pass their 'plug' super early, likely 20-24 weeks, and go on to deliver at term," says Dr. Swigert says, adding that because the body is making mucus all the time, you could "lose your 'mucus plug' early, and then lose it again." "During pregnancy, the body creates more vaginal discharge/mucus because the cells that line the vaginal wall are more active due to high hormone levels and more blood flow," Dr. Swigert say that women do experience more mucus/discharge during pregnancy, and it might come out in large clumps, but whether that happens in the second trimester or third is irrelevant. Katie Rustici, OB/GYN, reiterates this, telling Romper "the mucus plug is truly not a 'thing.'" She continues: "There is naturally some cervical mucus that passes in the third trimester but it is variable and not tied to labor at all."īoth Dr. "The theory is that the mucus sits up in the cervix like a cork and when it comes out it's like opening a wine bottle," she says, when in actuality, "it's not associated with labor." Dr. Annelise Swigert, OB/GYN, tells Romper that a lot of misinformation has been spread about the mucus plug. But what if it's lost early? Can your mucus plug regenerate? The short answer is yes, but experts say that's not the question you should be asking.ĭr. ![]() Women are led to believe that a pre-cursor to labor is losing a large mass of discharge, called the mucus plug. ![]() Moms-to-be are often evaluating everything their body does during pregnancy, especially as they inch closer and closer to their due dates.
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