Pregnancy is the most wonderful condition of a woman. It is always accompanied by certain sensations and surprises. Every day pregnancy pleases with new emotions. But not always, unfortunately, everything goes smoothly. There are health problems. But every woman endures steadily. As everyone knows, the duration of pregnancy is forty weeks. But it is likely that childbirth will begin earlier than the deadline. Already from the 36th week, an early delivery can be expected.
What is a cork in women in position? What does she look like and what color is she?
A large number of women say that waiting is a very tedious affair. The body is at the limit, there are all kinds of complaints, and sometimes problems with the heart, kidneys and other organs. To understand how soon the birth will come, you need to monitor even the smallest discharge. About how the cork looks in pregnant women, opinions are different. In every woman, she is purely individual. Since some have dark brown mucus with streaks of yellow. And someone has the appearance of yellow mucus with brown spots. The exact color of the cork in a pregnant woman can only be known by the woman herself in position. And even then only after its release.
Only a woman who has not ignored her output can understand exactly what a cork in pregnant women looks like. This is due to the fact that during pregnancy a large number have thrush or other secretions, which were not there before. For this reason, it is quite difficult or even impossible to notice a cork exit.
What is traffic jam?
Initially, it is worth noting that the formation of cork occurs from the moment when pregnancy begins. The cervix is very dense and enlarges. In the aisle, mucus slowly gathers, which in the habitual state constantly exits. Corking lasts throughout the gestation period. Just before the birth, the mucous plug in the pregnant woman leaves the standard place.
The main and probably the only function of this mucous formation is, of course, protection. The resulting lump extremely reliably protects the fetus from the penetration of a variety of pathological bacteria and viruses.
Why is there a cork?
Nature thought about maximizing the protection of only a nascent child from the womb from bad factors. And a very specific role in this case is played by the mucous plug.
The cervix combines directly between the vagina and the uterine cavity. The vaginal membranes of the mucous type are not sterile and are normally populated by non-pathogenic microflora. And during inflammation, pathogenic bacteria also arise. And even in women who are not in position, the cervical canal is filled with mucus, which has bactericidal properties.
During pregnancy, the protection of the fetus, placenta and other membranes is a very topical issue. For this reason, as soon as conception occurs, the goblet glue of the cervix, under the influence of a huge level of hormones, it is accepted to produce a huge number of viscous mucus. It prevents the contents from entering the uterus from the vagina.
Such mucus contains a lot of biologically active substances - prostaglandin, immunoglobulin, lysozyme and mucin, which have bactericidal properties.
Also, the extremely dense structure of cervical mucus in the cork is a mechanical-type barrier and removes pressure changes in the uterine cavity. This prevents the water from pouring out before the required time.
A couple of weeks before the birth process, hormonal changes in the woman’s body are very active. As a result, the biochemical composition of the mucus type plug changes. She becomes very loose, larger in size, begins to put pressure on the walls of the cervix, which allows her to prepare for the birth process.
How to understand that the cork has come off?
With a standard pregnancy, the passage of the mucous plug is one of the sure signs that there will be a birth soon. They happen literally in three to fifteen days.
But as such, there is no “standard” of cork appearance. Every woman has her own. Cork can be either dense jelly or viscous mucus.
It also happens to have a uniform consistency. It can have white, brown, pink, and also bloody streaks. To understand what size a cork is in a pregnant woman, you can only see by eye. But a woman will see a change in characteristic vaginal discharge.
How does a pregnant woman get a cork? This can be understood by the woman herself. She tends to go out as a whole mucous lump, and in parts in the form of mucus secretions.
When does everything happen quietly? Options for the development of events
Some do not notice how the cork in a pregnant woman departs. This occurs in the following situations:
- In the process of going to the toilet, a woman has a feeling of falling out of a “small foreign body”.
- When amniotic fluid overflow occurs. At the same time, a huge amount of liquid simply removes the mucus, preventing it from lingering even in linen.
- During the examination by a gynecologist or opening the fetal bladder, when the cork is on the gloves of the attending physician.
Harbingers of Childbirth
It is worth noting that such a process as cork discharge in a pregnant woman with a large amount of blood discharge indicates that it is urgent to contact specialists. Since this is a very serious symptom. Even given the fact that blood can be released, there shouldn’t be much of it.
Naturally, when it is available, it is better to go to the maternity hospital, as there is a risk of a threat to the health of the mother and baby.
When does the cork come off? Features of this process
What a cork looks like in a pregnant woman is already known. Now you need to specify the time when the mucus is able to leave the female body.
In a large number of situations, when a pregnant woman has lost the plug, only the doctor will tell you to give birth. In some cases, this indicates the onset of delivery in a period of two to ten days. It is worth saying that these dates are not accurate. There are known situations when a pregnant woman has stopped the cork, and when it becomes clear to give birth after a couple of hours, since the birth process begins. You need to know that the cork can remain inside right up to the moment of trying. But this is extremely rare. In such a situation, the flow of water can completely imperceptibly wash away the mucous plug.
Also, medicine knows situations where the cork was removed and more than a month before the birth. This situation is extremely dangerous. Since the fetus is left without proper protection.
What does a cork look like in a pregnant woman and how does it come out? This can be explained by the doctor, as he is able to go out both at once and for several days.
Since the average pregnancy lasts forty weeks, then what week does the cork in the pregnant woman go, the doctor will say. Each one is individually. Often this happens for a period of 37-38 weeks. You also need to take into account the fact that certain babies are born only at 42 weeks. This also turns out to be a normal option. In this case, the cork comes out, for example, in the fortieth week.
The onset of labor after the exit of the cork in primiparous and multiparous. Are there any changes?
What is a pregnant woman’s cork before giving birth? Every woman knows that. For each, it is shown in different ways. But as soon as it becomes clear what the cork looks like in a pregnant woman, you should immediately think that childbirth will begin very soon.
Like any other of the precursors of childbirth, the indicated symptom can only say that the body itself began to actively prepare for the birth of the baby. And this event will happen in the next two or one week.
A large number of women are trying to find out that if the cork is removed, when the birth will begin during the first or repeated pregnancy. Note that the number of pregnancies does not have any effect on the rate of development of labor after mucus discharge. Everyone knows that the signs of childbirth both in women for the first time and in multiparous women develop in fact for the same period of time before childbirth.
At the same time, when a woman’s mucous plug went off in a woman’s previous pregnancy just a week before giving birth, then at the next pregnancy this can be a reliable sign that delivery will occur at the same interval as previously.
What should a woman do when the cork comes off? Future mother's advice
When you have completely normal traffic jam and the gestational age is already at the level of 37 weeks, then do not panic. Just go to the maternity hospital.
If this phenomenon is not to be transmitted by the outflow of water or the emergence of certain unusual sensations, then you just need to calm down and just in case, look again at things for the hospital and paper.
With a future visit to the consultation, you need to tell your own doctor, who is following the pregnancy, that new discharge has appeared. Since there may be a need to check the fact how much the cervix is prepared for the birth itself.
When should a future mother be worried? What are the known signs of a problem?
There are cases in which cork discharge is not a normal sign, but indicates that there are certain problems with the mother’s body or with the child.
A pregnant woman must immediately go to the maternity hospital when the cork is accompanied by:
- The appearance of blood, which often speaks of placental abruption with the development of large bleeding, which poses a threat to the life of mother and child.
- Amniotic fluid flow until the standard patrimonial activity develops.
- When the gestational age is less than 37 weeks - this can serve as evidence of the threat of premature birth.
Be sure to consult a gynecologist if after leaving the cork not quite the usual sensations arise: the child’s movements have changed, there are very sharp pains in the abdomen, nausea, and also vomiting.
Little conclusion
Cork discharge is a very frequent and not entirely obligatory sign of the imminent onset of labor. When you notice a similar sign in yourself, then you don’t have to go to the maternity hospital right away, because there can be a lot of time before delivery. Note that in each particular pregnant situation can develop in different ways. Therefore, you should constantly be in touch by phone with your doctor so that he tells you what to do in this or that situation. The support of a doctor will help the expectant mother not to worry.