Frequently Asked OBGYN Questions
 

I lost my mucous plug, what do I do?

It is common to pass a large amount of mucous-like discharge in the last month of pregnancy. Some women will go into labor shortly after this is passed, but often labor will not start for days to weeks. If you are not having regular contractions and your bag of water has not broken, do not worry about the mucous plug. It is also normal not to notice the loss of mucous plug.

How will I know if I am in labor?

The definition of labor is uterine contractions with cervical dilation. It is not uncommon to have contractions that are not strong enough to cause the cervix to dilate. If you are having contractions drink a glass of water and lie down. Monitor the frequency of your contractions for 1 hour. If the contractions stop, you are not in labor and will probably be more comfortable at home. If you are less than 36 weeks and have 5 or more contractions in 1 hour, you should call the office or proceed to Labor and Delivery. If you are 36 weeks or more, you should consider entering Labor and Delivery if you have contractions every 3-5 minutes for 1-2 hours or if your bag of water breaks. Will I know when my water breaks? Sometimes it is very obvious when your bag of water breaks. If you have a large gush of fluid, proceed directly to Labor and Delivery. Sometimes, however, it is not obvious and amniotic fluid may leak out in small amounts. If you are not sure if your bag of water has broken you need to be seen. If this is during regular clinic hours call the office first. If it is after hours, you need to proceed to Labor and Delivery. There is no way to know if your water has broken without examining you. It is possible for your water to break before your contractions start, so even if you are not contracting proceed to Labor and Delivery if you suspect your bag of water has broken.

Is bleeding normal?

A small amount of spotting is very common after intercourse, after a cervical exam or in the last month of pregnancy. If the bleeding stops by the next morning, do not worry. If you are bleeding heavily, you should proceed to Labor and Delivery.

Call the clinic (or enter Labor and Delivery if it’s after hours) if:

• You think your water breaks
• You begin bleeding before 35 weeks or have heavy bleeding after 35 weeks
• You develop a temperature greater than 101 degrees F
• You experience excessive nausea and vomiting
• You have a severe headache, blurred vision, dizziness, epigastric pain (pain in the upper abdomen)
• You have sudden onset of swelling, especially of the hands and face and/or significant weight gain (more than 2 pounds in one day)

Decreased Fetal Movement

After 24 weeks the baby should move an average of 5 times per hour while you are resting. If movement seems decreased, then lie down, eat a light snack and drink some fluids. If you feel the baby move at least 5 times in the next hour then that is reassuring. If you feel less than 5 movements in that hour, you should be evaluated. Call the clinic during office hours or if it is after office hours, proceed to Labor and Delivery.

One Hour Glucola (Glucose Test)

1. When you make your next OB appointment for the glucola test, please tell the scheduler you need this test at that appointment.
2. It is recommended to drink the glucola solution cold and also drink it within 5 minutes or less. It is very important to note the time you finished the glucola.
3. We recommend you avoid foods with high sugar content on the day of your test. Make sure you drink the solution 45 minutes or less before your scheduled appointment time.
4. NOTHING to eat or drink two hours prior to drinking the glucola. AND NOTHING to eat or drink after you drink the glucola solution
5. PLEASE TELL THE FRONT DESK STAFF when you check in for your appointment what time you finished drinking the glucola solution. Your test needs to be done EXACTLY ONE HOUR after you finish drinking the glucola solution.
6. If you have any questions please call our office.
7. Clinic lab hours are 9:00-12:00/1:00-4:00. Please make sure solutions are drank within these times frames! Thank you! Lab is out of the clinic on Wednesday afternoons.