WORRIED ABOUT MUCOUS PLUG

Q:I’m 13 weeks pregnant and last week I released some discharge with blood. The doctor says I have lost my mucous plug. The baby is fine and I don’t feel any pain in my back or cramps. I can still feel the movement of the baby. Now I just have some blood spotting in the morning (brown in colour) – should I be worried?

A:Tina says: You are still in the very early stage of your pregnancy and I am surprised that you can feel movement from your baby as it is still so very small. Spotting in early pregnancy is not always a cause for concern, but you did the right thing and called your doctor. If your doctor has reassured you that your pregnancy is still fine, then you need to relax as stress hormones could make things worse. Your body will make another mucous plug to block off the entrance to the womb so that infection does not get in. I would not have sex at the moment until you have seen your doctor again and he gives you the go-ahead. It is hard to say what will happen with this pregnancy, but many women have gone on to have a healthy pregnancy, even though they had some bleeding or spotting early on. You do need to be examined by your caregiver again for an update on your condition as well as some reassurance that all is fine.