As the third trimester weeks crawl by, many pregnant women look for any sign that labor is impending. One of these signs is the loss of the mucus plug. Many women don’t even know what the mucus plug is, or what they should look for. They only know that the loss of it signifies that SOMETHING is happening after months of waiting.

What Is the Mucus Plug?
The mucus plug is exactly what it sounds like. It is a concentration of mucus that is deposited in the opening of the cervix to block germs and bacteria from entering the uterus.

During pregnancy, the mucus is clear and would look much like a woman’s normal vaginal discharge. However, as the cervix begins to thin out and blood is released, there will be some blood deposited onto the mucus plug. As a woman’s cervix opens she will begin to lose the plug, either in bits of stringy, blood tinted mucus over a period of time, or all at once. This can happen up to two weeks before labor actually begins.

The loss of the mucus plug should not be confused with a woman’s bloody show which occurs during labor as a woman begins bleeding prior to delivery. The bloody show will be obviously different than the mucus plug as it is mostly blood and very little or no mucus.

When Should You Call Your Doctor?
Generally there is no need to call your doctor or midwife when you begin to lose your mucus plug, assuming it is clear or just has a little blood showing. Of course, if you feel any concern or have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact them. You can also mention it to your provider at your next visit. You should definitely contact your provider if the mucus becomes extremely bloody or you continue to experience discharge. It could be a sign that labor has started, or it could also possibly be a sign of a complication like placenta previa or of a placental abruption.

Among the early blood tests a pregnant woman must endure is the Rh, or Rhesus, factor test which is a test to see if the woman is Rh Negative or Rh Positive, which can be an indicator of hemolytic disease.

When the mother has a negative Rhesus factor and the father has a positive Rhesus factor, it can result in a fetus that is positive Rh factor. Even though the blood systems of the mother and baby are separate while the baby is in the womb, there are times when the baby’s blood can enter the mother’s body. When this happens it can cause the mother’s negative Rh factor blood to naturally create antibodies against the baby’s positive Rh factor blood. This results in the body to treating the baby as it would an infection in the mother’s body, instead of the body recognizing that the baby is supposed to be there.

When the mother and baby have opposite RH factor blood, the mother will become sensitized and her body will begin making antibodies which will attack the baby’s positive Rh positive factor blood, causing the breakdown of red blood cells in the baby which can lead to anemia. In severe cases where this happens while the baby is growing in the womb, it can lead to illness, brain damage and even death of the fetus.

The good news is that, through early blood tests, the dangers of the Rh negative factor in women can be prevented. If a woman is found to have RH negative and the father to be RH positive, the woman can be given a shot of Rh immunoglobulin which is a blood product given through an injection, normally in the buttocks of a woman. The injection suppresses the ability of the woman’s blood to react to the Rh positive red blood cells coming from the baby.

Each shot of immunoglobulin, also known as Rhogam, lasts about 12 weeks. Some doctors will choose to give two shots, one at the beginning of the second trimester and one at the beginning of the third, at about 28 weeks. When the baby is born, if it is indeed has the Rh positive, the mother will be given another shot of Rhogam to help avoid the possibility of her body becoming sensitized to the Rh positive factor in later pregnancies.

Most women will test as Rh Positive, at which point there is no threat to the pregnancy. However, some women will test as Rh negative. If your blood work comes back showing that you are Rh negative, your doctor or midwife will mention it to you. However, if you have questions or are unsure if you fall into this group of women, make sure you ask your provider for the results of your blood work at your next appointment.

Now you’re thinking about your baby’s future well being. You know what cord-blood banking is and an overview on how the procedure works. But now you’re wondering what is a stem cell anyway and why are they so important as a new addition to medical research and procedures?

Stem cells are special and have two important traits that separate them from other cells in the human body. The first characteristic is they are an unspecialized cell — for example a skin cell can only be a skin cell but a stem cell can be developed into any other cell in the body. The second trait, they continuously rejuvenate themselves through cell division. Since they are unspecialized primitive cells, under the right condition they can become any type of cell which is a huge step in overcoming many drawbacks of transplants.

There are two different types of stem cells — adult and embryonic. Adult stem cells are found mostly in bone marrow and they are capable of making the three different types of blood cells found in our bodies. They develop into mature red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Stem cells can also be found in the blood, muscles, and brain tissue where they function to make replacements for cells lost from disease, injury, or just normal wear and tear that comes with aging.

Embryonic stem cells are a more primitive version of cells because they are the building blocks that form a fetus (developing baby). In a three to five day embryo, stem cells developing in the tissues begin to create the specialized cells needed to produce and function the brain, lungs, heart, as well as form the skin and other tissues. Embryonic stem cells are vastly more versatile than adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can stay in stasis for a year or more and not specialize into a particular cell whereas adult stem cells do not have that capability at this time during research.

The stem cells taken from the umbilical cord blood are not the same as embryonic stem cells. But cord-blood cells are much less mature than those found in bone marrow, peripheral (circulating) blood, and muscles so they carry a lower incidence rate of graft versus host disease (GVHD). This is a very big advantage when dealing with transplants because it does not require a “perfect match” between the donor and the patient.

After the new baby, the thing you probably dread the most, other than those two o’clock feedings when you’re still half asleep, is your menstrual cycle starting back just like Old Faithful. Since your life and your body will never be the same again after the birth of your wonderful new baby, why not consider making another big change?

Perhaps you’ve heard of something called a Diva Cup. No, it’s not a fancy anti-spill sippy cup for that new little princess. It doesn’t spill, but it’s for mommy. The Diva Cup is a safe, comfortable, and earth-friendly alternative to all those bulky, leaky pads and tampons.

Think of all the tampons and pads that you go through during one cycle. Now think of all the women you know who have cycles and do the math. Wow, huh? That’s a huge amount of waste that we add to the local dumping ground each and every month. What would you say if I told you there was a better way?

The Diva Cup is available for anywhere from nineteen to forty dollars. There are two basic models. One model is made specifically for girls under thirty. They are slightly smaller and no more likely to damage the hymen than a regular tampon. The second model is made for the mature woman who has given birth or is over thirty. The Diva Cup does not interfere with IUD’s, but they should be taken out before intercourse.

Diva Cups are safer than tampons because there is no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome since the natural flow of your cycle is not staunched. They are also more comfortable to wear than a tampon since they do not slip out of place. They insert similar to a tampon, but are reusable. You simply wash them and reinsert. If you get stuck using a public restroom, you can simply wipe out the cup with tissue or a wet wipe which you probably have on hand anyway since you have a new baby. The cup is also less messy and more reliable than the typical pad as well as being a friend to the environment. Plus, after the initial cost, think of all the money you will save over a lifetime of cycles.

As you can see, the Diva Cup is a wonderful way to help reduce the footprint you are leaving on the environment. Plus, it’s economical, comfortable, and practical. Help spread the word about Diva Cups to all your best girls and help out the planet at the same time. Why not go greener and stay cleaner?