Before a woman becomes pregnant and has her first baby, there are a lot of topics she most likely doesn't discuss with other women, but impending motherhood and motherhood itself changes that. Nevertheless, for the benefit of all the first-time moms who don't want to ask what a mucous plug is, what it looks like, what it means to pass it and other potentially embarrassing questions, here are the answers for you.

Just as the nose secretes mucous to protect itself from impurities, so does the cervix. And during pregnancy, "[a] plug is formed in the cervical canal and provides protection against bacteria entering the uterus," says Andrea Brett, a registered midwife and clinical instructor in the Midwifery Department at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Perhaps because of an assumption that every woman knows what a mucous plug is, not all doctors or midwives explain to their patients the definition of the mucous plug and the role it plays in pregnancy.

Sarah McElligott, a mother of two from Fall City, Wash., doesn't recall discussing her mucous plug with her midwife other than instructions to call if she passed it. And the same goes for Amber Keagle from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.