What Does a Mucus Plug Look Like?

Losing your mucus plug is one of the early signs of labor. But before learning how to identify the mucus plug, it can help to understand what it is and its role in pregnancy.

"The mucus plug seals the opening of the cervix during pregnancy, similar to a cork, forming a protective barrier along with the amniotic sac," says Clara Ward, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine physician with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth/UT Physicians in Houston. "Antibodies present in the mucus neutralize bacteria, viruses, and other causes of disease." The hormone progesterone makes the mucus nice and thick, she says.

As you near the end of pregnancy and your body starts getting ready to push everything out during labor, your mucus plug is the first thing to go.

"In the last days to weeks of pregnancy, the mucus plug is lost as the cervix starts to soften, shorten, and even dilate in the process of preparing the cervix for labor," says Amy VanBlaricom, MD, chief clinical officer at Ob Hospitalist Group, a nationwide OB-GYN hospitalist employer. "These preparations of the cervix essentially push out the plug of mucus that has accumulated there."

So what does a mucus plug look like, and how do you know if you've lost it? Read on to learn more about losing your mucus plug and how to tell the difference between your mucus plug, pregnancy discharge, and bloody show.

What Does a Mucus Plug Look Like?

Throughout pregnancy, your body constantly replenishes the mucus plug, meaning small amounts of mucus from the mucus plug leave the vagina over time to allow for fresh mucus. This periodic mucus loss isn't usually noticeable. Closer to the end of pregnancy, the entire mucus plug will dislodge from the cervix.

For some, the mucus plug comes out all at once. "It looks like a stretchy glob, similar to what may come out of your nose," says Dr. Ward. "It can be clear, yellowish-white, beige, brown or pink, or tinged with red or brown streaks of blood."

For other people, the mucus plug comes out gradually. They may see it in the toilet or when wiping after going to the bathroom, and some don't notice it at all. "Not all [people] notice they have lost it, as it can blend in with the other increased secretions that lubricate the vagina in the late stages of pregnancy," says Dr. VanBlaricom, who is based in Seattle, Washington.

How Do I Know If I Lost My Mucus Plug?

The mucus plug might come out while using the bathroom, or you may notice it in your underwear. It can also be released slowly over several days, which may be less noticeable.

The timing could be a clue for whether you have indeed lost your mucus plug. The closer you are to your estimated due date, the more likely it is that any large glob of mucus you see is the mucus plug.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the cervix will typically begin to dilate a few days before labor begins, which can include the loosening and loss of the mucus plug.

All of the following are typical times for losing the plug:

• A few days before labor begins
• When your water breaks
• At the onset of labor
• Right after labor starts

Not everyone will notice when their mucus plug comes out, and that's perfectly fine, adds board-certified nurse midwife Kristin Mallon, CNM, of Maternal Resources in Jersey City, New Jersey. Call a health care provider for guidance if you see any discharge and you're unsure what it is.

Is It Your Mucus Plug or Discharge?

When it comes to the mucus plug, some people don't know what to look out for, says Mallon. "They could be having normal discharge during pregnancy and mistake it for an early release of the mucus plug."

In addition, excess discharge could also stem from other concerns like a yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis (BV), or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). So how do you tell the difference?

For starters, the mucus plug is gooey, gelatinous, and usually yellowish-white in color (sometimes with tinges of pink or brown). In some respects, it can resemble egg whites. On the other hand, normal pregnancy discharge tends to be thin, mild smelling or odorless, and clear or milky white.

Discharge from a yeast infection is usually yellow or white, thick, and chunky like cottage cheese, and bacterial vaginosis produces a fishy-smelling discharge that's most noticeable after sex. Other forms of yellow, green, or foul-smelling discharge could signal a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

See a health care provider if you suspect any vaginal infection, as you may need treatment to prevent the infection from impacting your baby.

Bloody Show vs. Mucus Plug: What's the Difference?

Losing the mucus plug sometimes gets confused with the unpleasantly-named "bloody show." It may sound like a horror movie, but it is also a totally normal early labor sign.

"Bloody show refers to the passage of blood at the end of pregnancy; the cervix has many blood vessels that may bleed easily once the cervix starts to dilate," says Dr. Ward. "Bloody show can occur in conjunction with losing the mucus plug, but not always. It can sometimes mean that labor is closer, compared to if you are only seeing mucus."

A bloody show may also be more blood than mucus, explains Dr. VanBlaricom, and can even flow like a light period. While this type of bleeding can be a variation of normal, experts recommend reporting any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy to a health care provider that is heavier than light spotting.

And because the bloody show can represent more advanced changes in your cervix, Dr. VanBlaricom recommends calling a health care provider, especially if you are preterm or have other pregnancy-related complications.