Mai ka pule 4 o ka hāpai ʻana, ma lalo o ka hopena o nā hormones hāpai, hoʻopili ʻia ka mucus cervical i ke kiʻekiʻe o ka pūpū e hana i ka plug mucous. Hoʻopaʻa kēia nui o ka mucus i ka pūpū a hoʻopaʻa i kona paʻa i ka wā o ka hāpai ʻana, pēlā e pale ai i ka pēpē mai nā maʻi piʻi. Ua hana ʻia ka mucous plug me nā mucins (nui glycoproteins) e hoʻōki i ka hoʻopiʻi hou ʻana a pale i ka hele ʻana o ka bacteria. Loaʻa iā ia nā waiwai immunological e alakaʻi ana i kahi pane inflammatory i mua o ka bacteria. Hōʻike nā haʻawina e hiki ke hoʻonui i ka pilikia o ka hānau mua ʻana o kahi puʻupuʻu mucous e pāʻani maikaʻi ʻole ana i kāna hana pale (1).

Ma lalo o ka hopena o ka hoʻopaʻapaʻa ʻana i ka hopena o ka hāpai ʻana (Braxton-Hicks contractions) a laila ʻo ka poʻe o ka hana ʻana, ʻoʻo ka pūpū. I ka neʻe ʻana o ka pūpū, e hoʻokuʻu ʻia ka puʻu mucous a hoʻokuʻu ʻia ma ke ʻano o nā poho sticky, gelatinous, translucent, melemele a ʻeleʻele paha. I kekahi manawa he ʻulaʻula lākou a i ʻole he mau filament liʻiliʻi o ke koko: pili kēia koko i ka haki ʻana o nā kīʻaha koko liʻiliʻi i ka wā e hemo ai ka puʻu mucous.

Hiki ke hana mālie ʻia ka nalo ʻana o ka puʻupuʻu mucous, me he mea lā e ʻānai ana, i ʻike ʻole ʻia e ka makuahine, a i ʻole i ka manawa hoʻokahi. Hiki ke hana i kekahi mau lā ma mua o ka hānau ʻana, ka lā hoʻokahi, a i ʻole i ka wā hānau. Pono e hoʻomaopopo ʻia ʻo ka holomua ʻana o ka hāpai ʻana, ʻoi aku ka elastic o ka pūpū, ʻoi aku ka nui o ka mucous plug i kekahi manawa a no laila maʻalahi ke ʻike.

ʻAʻole hopohopo ka nalo ʻana o ka plug: he mea maʻamau a hōʻike ʻia e hana ana ka cervix. Eia naʻe, ʻaʻole i hāʻawi ʻia ka nalo ʻana o ka mucous plug wale nō i ka hōʻailona e haʻalele i ka haukapila maternity. He hōʻailona hōʻeuʻeu kēia e hiki koke mai ana ka hana, akā ʻaʻole pono e hoʻomaka i loko o hoʻokahi hola a mau lā paha.

Ma ka ʻaoʻao ʻē aʻe, ʻo ke kahe ʻana o ke koko ʻulaʻula a i ʻole nā ​​​​ʻeleʻele ʻeleʻele e pono e hoʻomaka i kahi kūkākūkā (2).

No ka hoʻolaha ʻana i ka hoʻomaka maoli o ka hana, pono nā hōʻailona ʻē aʻe e hele pū me ka nalo ʻana o ka plug mucous:

• mau, eha, rhythmic contractions o ka hoonui ikaika. Inā he pēpē mua kēia, pono e hele i ka hale hānai i ka wā e hoʻi mai ai nā ʻokiʻoki i kēlā me kēia 10 mau minuke. No ka lua a i ʻole ke kolu o ke keiki, pono e hele i ke keʻena makuahine ke lilo lākou i mau (3).
• ka nahae ana o ka eke wai i ikeia ma ke kahe ana o ka wai akaka a me ke ala ole, e like me ka wai. Hiki pololei a hoʻomau paha kēia poho (hiki ke loaʻa kahi māwae i loko o ka ʻeke wai). I nā hihia ʻelua, e hele i ke keʻena hānai me ka kali ʻole no ka mea ʻaʻole pale ʻia ka pēpē mai nā maʻi.