During pregnancy, the so-called mucus plug is formed. Its task is to close the cervix. If the pregnant woman is shortly before the beginning of the birth process, it detaches. Many pregnant women notice the detachment of the mucus plug in that they notice light bleeding, which is also called “drawing bleeding” or “drawing”.
What is the function of a mucus plug?
When a woman becomes pregnant, the body changes; it begins to adapt to the fact that a child is growing inside the woman’s body. For example, the glands located around the cervix produce a thick mucus. The mucus produced forms the mucus plug that closes the cervix. The “Kristell’s mucus plug”, named after Samuel Kristeller – a German gynecologist – is intended to prevent bacteria from entering. This protects the uterus and subsequently the growing child. But the mother also benefits from the mucus plug; it prevents any bacteria in the uterus from causing infections that can affect the mother’s health. The mucus plug also stabilizes the uterus so that premature births can be prevented. Even though in many cases the mucus plug goes unnoticed, as many pregnant women do not even notice it coming off, it has an incredibly important task to perform during pregnancy. Thus, it not only prevents any premature births, but also protects the mother and the child from any bacteria or infections and diseases.
How does the mucus plug make itself felt?
The size and appearance of the plug vary greatly. This means that the mucus plug can vary in size – depending on the woman; its appearance can also vary – depending on the woman. For example, the amount may be so small that many women do not even notice that the mucus plug has come off. If the mucus plug comes off, it is a sure sign that the birth process has begun. Women notice the discharge as increased discharge, and sometimes – if it is a large mucus plug – viscous mucus is also noticed. The mucus plug, if without blood, is whitish. In many cases, however, blood admixtures can be seen. If there are traces of blood in the mucus plug, this is not a bad sign, but simply an indication that the cervix is already slightly open. The blood that is visible in the mucus plug comes from vessels in the uterine lining. The small vessels tear when the cervix opens, so that blood admixtures can be seen. This bleeding is also often described as drawing bleeding. Depending on whether fresh or old blood is visible, the mucus plug may be brownish in color or bright red. However, if the pregnant woman does not notice that the mucus plug has come off, it really does not matter. The pregnant woman, if the mucus plug has come off unnoticed, has only missed the first sign, which indicates that it may only be a few days before the first contractions begin.
Why does the mucus plug come off?
With the detachment of the mucus plug (from the 38th week of pregnancy), the theoretical birth process is initiated. As a rule, the detachment of the mucus plug is a sure sign that the woman is about to give birth and that the so-called opening phase is already imminent. If the pregnant woman has noticed that the mucus plug has detached, however, a few more days may pass before the first labor pains are actually felt. For this reason, the woman does not need to contact a doctor or go to a hospital immediately if the mucus plug has come off. Only when regular labor pains are felt should a doctor be contacted or a hospital visited. Even though the detachment of the mucus plug represents the actual beginning of labor, it does not mean that the woman will have her baby in a few hours. By releasing the mucus plug, the body has merely communicated that the cervix is opening and thus the baby is ready to finally be born. However, if regular and prolonged bleeding occurs, and the pregnant woman discovers larger amounts of bright red and fresh blood, a doctor should be consulted immediately. Especially also if the discharge of fresh blood is associated with pain.In these cases, it is usually not the so-called drawing hemorrhage, but sometimes a premature detachment of the placenta. A condition that should by no means be ignored; immediate medical attention is required here.
Discharge of the mucus plug: the birth is going on
The body produces prostaglandins when the baby is ready to be born. On the one hand, the hormone changes the tissues of the cervix (cervical ripening follows), and on the other hand, it ensures the departure of the mucus plug. Sometimes practice contractions or first labor pains can also mean an opening phase of birth, so that the cervix opens slightly and then the mucus plug comes off. Once the mucus plug has come off, the pregnant woman can be sure that it will only take a few more days for the baby to be born. Since pregnancy is a test of patience for many women, the departure of the mucus plug is perceived as a redemptive sign.
