BusyMamaMD

​Yes, I hate the mucus plug.  If you ask any obstetrician or labor nurse, they probably will tell you they hate it too.  Specifically, we hate how every book on pregnancy and labor mentions this entity and somehow correlates it to the onset of labor.  These books, blogs, and other websites seem to lead people to believe they have a stopper in their cervix.  Once the “plug” falls out the baby will be close behind.  Nothing is further from the truth!

So here’s the truth.  I never heard of a mucus plug until I was a practicing resident.  You will not find it in any medical textbook or a part of any medical school curriculum.  I had no idea what people were talking about.  Honestly, I do not know where the “plug” idea came from. Essentially, pregnant cervices produce a lot of mucus.  This mucus does offer some protection against bacteria and the like from entering the cervix.  Mucus increases over time and can cause a large amount of discharge for people, especially at the end of pregnancy.  As the cervix dilates, shortens, and softens, women will notice more of this mucus.  It could be light or heavy and even blood-tinged.  It indicates that you are indeed pregnant and the cervix is getting ready.  It does not mean that you are going into labor.

Sometimes people notice a “glob” or a “plug.”  Sometimes, people just get heavier discharge towards the end.  Sometimes, they notice nothing at all.  It does not matter.  A woman can go into labor at any time regardless of whether or not she noticed a “mucus plug” coming out.  If she does have a “plug,” she could go into labor that night… or she could go into labor 3 weeks later.

So, how do you know you’re in labor?  It’s not a perfect science, but you should come in for regular, painful, frequent contractions or leakage of fluid.  For a first pregnancy, I normally tell women to come in if they are contracting painfully 5 minutes apart or less for at least an hour.  If there is any suspicion that your water broke, you should come in for that as well.  Large gushes of fluid or even watery discharge should prompt you to visit the hospital.  Heavy vaginal bleeding or a decrease in baby’s movement are other reasons to come in.  Obviously this list is not all inclusive, but please do not come in for the mucus plug, whatever that is!