1 How Long After Passing Bloody Show Does Labor Start?ĭepending on the cause of light cervical bleeding, a bloody show may or may not indicate that labor is near. Because there are many causes of light cervical bleeding, passing your bloody show may or may not mean labor is imminent. 1,4,5 What Does It Mean?Ī bloody show means some blood vessels in your cervix have ruptured, causing light bleeding, and that blood has mixed with vaginal discharge or your mucus plug. These irritations include having sex, having a vaginal exam, or having your membranes swept or stripped. Since the cervix is so vascular, particularly in the last weeks of pregnancy, the bloody show can also be caused by other irritations to the cervix. This blood mixes with cervical mucus and exits out of your vagina. When the cervix starts to ripen and dilate in preparation for labor, it is common for some tiny vessels to break or rupture and cause light bleeding. Because of this, it is susceptible to irritation and change. The cervix is highly vascular, meaning it has many tiny blood vessels. Regardless of the texture, a bloody show will have a red, pink, or brown color, often mixed with clear or white mucus. It may be passed in one blob or come out more gradually in your underwear or on toilet paper. It may be slimy and slippery, stringy, or jelly-like it could also be thicker and more like a clump or plug. 1,3 What Does a Bloody Show Look Like?Īs the name suggests, the bloody show can appear like blood-tinged mucus or resemble light vaginal spotting. If there is no blood, it is called the mucus plug. If the mucus plug contains blood from the cervix, it is called a bloody show.

The mucus plug is expelled before or during delivery for the baby to exit through the vagina. This prevents the migration of vaginal bacteria into the uterus, protecting your baby from infection. However, the mucus plug is a clump that fills the cervix during pregnancy, blocking the entrance to the uterus from the vagina. 1 What is a Mucus Plug?Ī bloody show is often confused with the mucus plug, which is understandable because they are similar. As a common sign of labor in late pregnancy, you may also experience cramping, contractions, and pelvic pressure. 1 What is a Bloody Show?Ī bloody show is a mixture of blood and mucus from your vagina before or during labor. It is also necessary to know that is what you are looking at and what it could mean about the timing of your labor. Still, it is essential to differentiate the bloody show from other, more concerning sources of bleeding. A bloody show can indicate that your cervix has started to dilate in early labor. The bloody show is one sign of impending labor many women hear of and look out for.

Did your water break, or is that just pee or discharge? Every twinge leaves you wondering if you are having a contraction. A due date is an estimate, but the mind games we play toward the end of the third trimester can be all-consuming. As the end of pregnancy approaches, it is nearly impossible not to start symptom spotting, anticipating, and guessing when labor will begin and when you will meet your new baby.

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