There are many times in a woman’s life when she would undergo a cervical check. Be it through pregnancy or routine screenings it is not the most glamorous part of being a woman. Then comes the aftermath, brown discharge after a cervical check is just one side effect you can experience. The question is is it normal and why does it appear?
Why Do I Have Brown Discharge After Cervical Check?
Noticing brownish discharge after a cervical check can take you by surprise. Pregnancy calls for cervical checks as you progress toward your due date. After an examination, you may experience what’s known as a ‘bloody show.’ Experiencing brown discharge can be a good sign your cervix is starting to dilate however active labor can still be days away.
The Female Body
Having a bloody show during the later stages of your pregnancy is a great sign that your body is preparing to kick into labor. Losing brown mucus especially after a cervix check can be and feel disgusting yet it is funny how being pregnant you find yourself oblivious to the gross bodily fluids you lose. If you ask me between the excess discharge, mucus plug, and if your pelvic floor has taken a beating the constant drip or two of urine it makes up for the lack of period you have.
Let’s look at why you can suffer from brown discharge after cervix check.
What is a Bloody Show?
A bloody show is the beginning of the end of your pregnancy. It is a loss of a brownish mucus discharge and it can have a little blood in it too.
Once you lose your show you can start preparing yourself mentally to welcome your baby, even though labor may not start for a few weeks yet your cervix is starting the efface process where it softens and thins and dilates where it widens.
Your cervix is a very vascular muscle meaning it is bursting with blood vessels so on movement whether naturally or after an examination a little blood be it red or brown is expected.
Is It Normal To Have Brown Discharge After Cervical Check?
Yes. Absolutely there is nothing to concern yourself about if you see your bloody show. Everyone will experience this loss, especially after a cervical check.
What Should I Expect To See?
As we have uncovered you can expect to see a mix of blood and mucus so keep an eye after going to the loo, if you notice a jelly like substance colored pink, red, or brown then no need to be alarmed.
I lost my mucus plug and had a bloody show but it didn’t happen all at once. In fact, I lost it over the course of about two weeks. My labor didn’t actually begin until 3 weeks later.
What is A Mucus Plug?
You already know your body is amazing. As disgusting as it sounds over the course of your pregnancy your cervix has produced a thick mucus plug. It acts like a barrier to your uterus to ensure no bacteria can enter your body.
Your bloody show will expel your mucus plug leaving you questioning the brown discharge after a cervical check. Don’t be alarmed; losing your mucus plug won’t leave you vulnerable to bacteria. It is the normal process for your body preparing for labor. After all, you are facing pushing your baby out so having your mucus plug come away just makes it easier for gravity to help pull your baby south.
Causes of A Bloody Show
There will be times when your show will be forced to make an appearance. This is totally harmless and sometimes needed if you are past your due date.
‣ Sex
As you near the end of your pregnancy your cervix is starting to ripen meaning that any force can dislodge your mucus plug. Having intercourse is deemed a great way to help things along.
I mean this is totally optional, with my size and aching joints the sheer thought of having intercourse during either of my pregnancies made me shudder.
‣ Sweep
Cervical checks are routine and your healthcare provider may book you in for one if you have passed your due date. This is what’s known as a sweep of the membranes.
Your doctor, with gloved hands, will gently loosen your bag of water with a sweeping motion of their fingers. Doing this is thought to help encourage labor to begin but many women need more than one membrane sweep.
After this procedure, you can expect to see a slight loss of blood or your show may come away. It’s important that you keep an eye if your blood loss is more than you expect then seek medical advice immediately as there could be an issue with your placenta. As stated due to the cervix being highly vascular a little bleeding shouldn’t cause you alarm but if you are concerned seek advice.
‣ Trauma
Having a trauma to your body is an unexpected life experience. Any type of trauma such as a fall, or any force to your abdomen needs to be addressed by your doctor.
They will encourage the need for a cervical examination to ensure a full picture of what is going on.
Any bleeding from physical trauma needs to be addressed.
How Long Does Brown Discharge Last After Cervical Check?
For most of the women, brown discharge lasts ~2 days to a few days but your OB would be able to give you more specific estimation seeing your state. Our bodies will respond to a cervical check in totally different ways so there’s no specific rule as to how long to expect the brownish discharge to last after a cervical check.
Personally, my first cervical sweep was around 38 weeks, it was deemed my labor needed to start early as my baby was on the larger side. I can now tell you that my body was nowhere near ready for labor. My cervix was still high and far back so my doctor couldn’t perform my examination properly.
On my second however, I had my show at around 39 weeks. My body expelled it on its own but it left me losing a brownish mucus over the course of two weeks. I knew there was no need to be concerned because there was little red blood.
To be clear you can expect to see a little loss and sometimes you will need to wear a sanitary pad but if you are worried about the amount of loss you have please get a check up.
Other Signs of A Show
So we have spoken about the obvious sign that you have had your bloody show. I want to highlight other possible symptoms you may encounter.
- Pressure: Known as lightning when you lose your mucus plug everything falls south. Gravity is doing its job to help pull everything down. This can mean that you feel extreme pressure and weight in your pelvis. Your baby is just sitting in your pelvis waiting for d day.
- Cramping: The calm before the storm some may call it. The return of the terrible period cramps can rear their ugly head at this point too. Pain can last a few hours to a few days.
- Contractions: Typically you may feel what’s commonly known as Braxton hicks contractions. These can be painful but don’t help your cervix dilate so a little practice from your body before the finale. If you find your pains get more intense then contact your doctor it could be show time!
Am I in Labor?
Generally having brown discharge after a cervical check could be the start of your show, on the other hand, it could just be an effect of the doctor dislodging your membranes. Disturbing your cervix can cause slight bleeding but nothing extreme.
If you have your show then you don’t need to panic. Just note the color, and consistency to tell your ob-gyn at your next appointment.
Labor can be imminent or start in a few days there is no way of knowing for sure until those contractions start. So be bag ready but don’t be disheartened if your baby is running late to the party.
Signs That Bleeding Are Not OK
As we have spoken about the loss of brownish discharge after a cervical check I want to point out that there are clearly times when bleeding during pregnancy is cause for concern.
If you have recently undergone a cervical examination then your doctor will explain that you can experience a slight bleed however if this bleeding becomes heavy in any way then you will need immediate medical intervention.
Wrapping Up
Seeing brown discharge after a cervical check is totally normal and many women are told to expect it.
There is no way of saying of having a bloody show or cervical sweep will kick start your labor but it is a clear telltale sign that things are heading in the right direction.
Just remember if you are concerned about your loss in any way at all then contact your doctor, ensure you can describe your loss as best you can, they will provide you with the best guidance and care.