Losing Your Mucus Plug: What It Looks Like, Bloody Show and When to Call

What does losing your mucus plug look like?

Losing your mucus plug usually looks like a blob or string of thick, sticky, jelly-like mucus in your underwear or on toilet paper, according to Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic says the plug is usually clear, off-white or tinged pink, red or brown with a little blood, 1 to 2 inches long, 1 to 2 tablespoons in volume and relatively odorless, and that it looks more like the mucus you cough up with a cold than like period blood.

The NHS calls this a "show" and describes it as sticky, jelly-like pink mucus that may come away in one blob or in several pieces, pink because it contains a small amount of blood. ACOG says you may notice an increase in vaginal discharge that is clear, pink or slightly bloody, and that some women pass the entire plug. Cleveland Clinic adds that the plug can also come away gradually, so some people never notice it.

How long after losing your mucus plug does labor start?

Labor can start within hours of losing your mucus plug or not for a few weeks, according to Cleveland Clinic, which says no one can predict the exact time. The NHS says labor may quickly follow a show or may take a few days, and that sometimes there is no show at all.

ACOG explains that the plug is pushed out when the cervix begins to open, either several days before labor or at its start. MedlinePlus, the US National Library of Medicine's health site, says that when the plug is visible, active labor may still be days away, and that normal labor at term can start any time between 3 weeks before and 2 weeks after your due date.

Cleveland Clinic also says you can go into labor without losing the plug first, and that the plug can regenerate, so you may lose parts of it at different times.

Is the mucus plug the same as the bloody show?

The mucus plug and the bloody show are closely related but slightly different, according to Cleveland Clinic, and both happen late in pregnancy as the cervix opens. Cleveland Clinic describes the plug as a collection of stringy, jelly-like mucus, and the bloody show as a bloody discharge with small traces of mucus that comes from blood vessels in the cervix breaking as it expands.

MedlinePlus says bloody or brownish discharge may mean your cervix has begun to dilate. The NHS uses the single word "show" for the plug coming away.

Can sex or a cervical exam make you lose your mucus plug?

Yes: Cleveland Clinic says sex in the last weeks of pregnancy can loosen the mucus plug, and that a cervical exam at a prenatal appointment can stretch or irritate the cervix enough to make it fall out. MedlinePlus says sex and an internal exam are among the causes of bleeding late in pregnancy, most often just spotting.

For a small amount of spotting with no other symptoms after sex or an exam, MedlinePlus says you can put on a clean pad, check it every 30 to 60 minutes for a few hours, and call your provider if the spotting or bleeding continues.

What should you do after losing your mucus plug?

At 37 weeks or later, with your waters intact and no other symptoms, Cleveland Clinic says there is typically nothing you need to avoid after losing your mucus plug, though it suggests checking with your provider. Cleveland Clinic also suggests noting the color, size and texture, which helps your provider judge whether it was the plug.

Then watch for the other signs of labor. ACOG lists the baby dropping lower in your pelvis, your water breaking and contractions, and says true labor contractions come at regular intervals and get closer together over time.

The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit if you think you are in labor or your contractions are regular and coming every 5 minutes or more often. MedlinePlus says to contact your provider right away for regular, painful contractions every 5 to 10 minutes for 60 minutes. Ask your provider which pattern they want you to call at; the 5-1-1 rule explains one way to time contractions.

What if you lose your mucus plug before 37 weeks?

Cleveland Clinic says to contact your healthcare provider as a precaution if you lose your mucus plug before 37 weeks, because it can be a sign of early labor or another pregnancy complication. Your provider may want to examine your cervix. The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit urgently if you are less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labor. The signs of preterm labor lists what else to watch for.

MedlinePlus advises that in the last few months of pregnancy, you should always report bleeding to your provider right away.

When to call your doctor or midwife

• You lose what looks like your mucus plug before 37 weeks (Cleveland Clinic).
• You are losing more blood than a show. The NHS says this may be a sign something is wrong, and MedlinePlus says to contact your provider right away for any vaginal bleeding other than light spotting.
• Your water breaks, as a trickle or a gush of fluid. ACOG says to call your ob-gyn or other obstetric care provider, and to go to the hospital if your water has broken and you are not having contractions. The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit urgently.
• Your baby is moving less than usual (NHS, ACOG, MedlinePlus).
• Your contractions come every 5 minutes or more often, any one lasts longer than 2 minutes, or you have 6 or more in 10 minutes (NHS). MedlinePlus says to contact your provider right away for regular, painful contractions every 5 to 10 minutes for 60 minutes, or contractions lasting 60 to 90 seconds.
• You think your baby is coming now and you have a strong urge to push. The NHS says to call 999 and ask for an ambulance (the emergency number is 911 in the US).
• The bleeding is heavy, your belly feels stiff and painful, or you are having strong, frequent contractions. MedlinePlus says you may need to call 911 or your local emergency number.
• You are unsure or worried about anything. The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit, or 111 if you cannot reach them.