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Like the eye of Sauron drawn to the One Ring, one cannot resist looking at the mucus plug. |
June 3rd, 2007
fell on a Sunday. I awoke that morning feeling disappointed that I was still pregnant. My due date had come and
gone and, honestly, I was sick of being a human incubator. I had enough of the
heartburn, involuntary peeing, and the overall beached-whale feeling. The baby in utero was resting comfortably on my
sciatic nerve, and I could barely walk. And perhaps even more important was the
fact that I just wanted to finally meet the child I had grown from just a few
cells!
Feeling like it would never
come to be, I slowly waddled into the bathroom and somehow negotiated the tall edge
of the bathtub in order to take a shower. As I stood allowing the hot water to
pour down my back, I looked down at the giant watermelon growing from my
abdomen and literally began to beg. “Little baby, please please PLEASE make your way out today!” Right at that moment, and I
kid you not, my cervix released my mucus plug and deposited it into the palm of
my hand.
Video of a mucus plug being poked and prodded with tweezers. Watch at your own risk.
Suddenly, I saw the light at
the end of the pregnancy tunnel. I excitedly called for my husband. “Jim! You
have to come see this!!” He came running in as he was already on edge, given
the circumstances. “My mucus plug came out! Do you want to see it?” As much as
he tried to resist looking at something that was potentially grotesque (and it
was), instinct overrode logic. His actions did not match the words coming out
of his mouth, which were along the lines of “hell no!” and, like Sauron
responding to the wearing of the ring, his eyes were slowly drawn down to what
was gently wobbling in the palm of my hand.
The human eye is poised for setting
its gaze upon things that are aesthetically pleasing and the mere mention of the
word “mucus” could potentially elicit a queasy feeling in one’s gut. However,
mucus plays a significant biological role in our bodies. In general, the mucus
serves as a physical barrier against microbial invaders (bacteria, fungi,
viruses) and small particulate matter (dust, pollen, allergens of all kinds). Protective
mucus membranes line a multitude of surfaces in our bodies, including the
digestive tract, the respiratory pathway, and, of course, the female
reproductive cavity.
But when it comes to matters
of ladybusiness, the function of mucus goes beyond that of a microbial defense
system. Produced by specialized cells lining the cervix, which is the neck of the uterus and where the
uterus and vagina meet, mucus also plays a role in either facilitating or
preventing sperm from traveling beyond the vagina and into the upper
reproductive tract.
For instance, cervical mucus becomes
thinner around the time of ovulation, providing a more suitable conduit for
sperm movement and swimming (presumably toward the egg). Furthermore, some
components from this so-called “fertile” cervical mucus actually help prolong
the life of sperm cells. Conversely, after the ovulation phase, normal hormonal
fluctuations cause cervical mucus to become thicker and more gel-like, acting as
a barrier to sperm. This response helps to prepare the uterus for pregnancy if fertilization happens.
During pregnancy, a sustained
elevation of a hormone called progesterone causes the mucus-secreting cells in the cervix
to produce a much more viscous and elastic mucus, known as the cervical
mucus plug. In non-scientific terms,
the mucus plug is like the cork that keeps all of the bubbly baby goodness safe
from harmful bacteria. It is quite large, often weighing in around 10 g (0.35
oz) and consists mostly of water (>90%) that contains several hundred types
of proteins. These proteins do many jobs, including immunological gatekeepers,
structural maintenance, regulation of fluid balance, and even cholesterol
metabolism (cholesterol is an ever important component of healthy fetal development).
As a woman nears the end of a
pregnancy, the cervix releases the mucus plug as it thins out in preparation
for birth. Often, the thinning of the cervix can release some blood into the
mucus plug, which is why some describe the loss of the mucus plug as a “bloody
show.” However, losing the mucus plug is not necessarily an indication that
labor is starting. Activities like sex or an internal cervical examination can
cause the mucus plug to dislodge. It can fall out hours, days, or even weeks before labor begins. In my case,
the loss of my mucus plug was associated with the onset of labor, which is why
I have never been so happy to hold something so disgusting in my hand.
Last week, I told the story
of my two births, including the loss of my mucus plug, at an event called The Story Collider. I described the mucus plug as “a big hot
gelatinous mess.” I pushed it a bit further by providing the following graphic
imagery: “Picture a Jell-O jiggler, but instead of brightly colored sugar, it’s
made up of bloody snot.” I was pleased with the audience response, which mostly
consisted of animated face smooshing accompanied by grossed-out groans and
sighs. For the rest of the evening, I heard people call to me from all over the
bar by screaming “MUCUS PLUG!!!” Given the importance of the mucus plug during pregnancy
(and mucus in general) combined with its comedic potential, its no wonder that
it was a hit. Go mucus!
Jeanne Garbarino, Double X Science biology editor
Jeanne Garbarino, Double X Science biology editor
References
Kamran Moghissi, Otto W.
Neuhaus, and Charles S. Stevenson. Composition
and properties of human cervical mucus. I. Electrophoretic separation and
identification of proteins.. J
Clin Invest. 1960 September; 39(9): 1358–1363.
Lee
DC, Hassan SS, Romero R, Tarca AL, Bhatti G, Gervasi MT, Caruso JA, Stemmer PM,
Kim CJ, Hansen LK, Becher N, Uldbjerg N. Protein profiling underscores
immunological functions of uterine cervical mucus plug in human
pregnancy. J
Proteomics. 2011 May 16;74(6):817-28. Epub 2011 Mar 23.
Ilene
K. Gipso. Mucins of the human endocervix. Frontiers in Bioscience 2001 October;
6, d1245-1255.
Merete
Hein MD, Erika V. Valore MS, Rikke Bek Helmig MD, PhD, Niels Uldbjerg MD, PhD,
Tomas Ganz PhD, MD. Antimicrobial factors in the cervical mucus plug. American Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynecology 2002 July Volume 187, Issue 1, 137-144
Naja Becher, Kristina Adams Waldorf, Merete Hein & Niels Uldbjerg. The
cervical mucus plug: Structured review of the literature. Acta Obstetricia
et Gynecologica. 2009; 88: 502_513
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