Mucous tamponade is a substance that is produced to close the entrance of the uterus during pregnancy, preventing the bacteria present in the vaginal canal from reaching the baby and causing a serious infection.
Therefore, the exit of mucus plug is one of the first signs that the woman is going into labor. After this time, it is common for the woman also to begin to feel strong colic and, finally, to break the bag. But this can take up to 2 weeks to happen after the tampon exit.
See more details on each of these signs and how to know if you are actually in labor.
How to correctly identify mucus plug
When it exits, the tampon is similar to a whitish, rather thick and thick discharge, which is usually released up to 2 weeks before the baby is born.
However, it is also possible to display other colors such as yellow, green, pink or even brown. The most common features to all women is the very jelly-like consistency and the size of about 4 to 5 centimeters.
When the outlet of the buffer
The most common is that the mucus plug is flushed between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy and, in rarer cases, this can happen only during labor when you are already in the hospital.
Can the buffer go out prematurely?
When the tampon leaves at an early stage of pregnancy, it is usually not a sign of a problem, but can only indicate that the body is still adapting to the changes brought about by pregnancy.
Although the baby becomes more susceptible at this time, the body will produce a new cap quickly to protect the uterus again. Therefore, if this problem does not recur frequently, it should not be a cause for concern.
However, it is always important to inform the obstetrician who is accompanying the pregnancy so that he can assess if there is any risk to the gestation.
What to do after removal of the mucus plug
After the mucus plug is withdrawn, it is recommended that the pregnant woman pay attention to other signs of labor, such as a ruptured pouch or frequent and regular contractions. The outlet of the mucus plug does not indicate the baby's birth at that time.
Thus, after the mucus plug is removed, it is normal for the pregnant woman to wait several hours or even a few days to go to the hospital.
The bleeding at the end of pregnancy does not always indicate the exit of the mucous plug, know the other possible causes.