There is a wide variation in how long it takes to go into labor after the cervical mucus is released, usually within a week. The onset of key regular contractions means that labor is imminent in 24-48 hours. Cervical mucus is a thick, colorless or yellow, clear, jelly-like fluid. The thick cervical mucus plug blocks the cervix during pregnancy and protects it from infection during this period. Before the onset of labor or in the early stages of labor, the cervical mucus plug is dislodged from the cervical canal and accompanied by a little bleeding. It is not very accurate to judge whether labor is taking place by observing the flow of cervical mucus, because many pregnant women have more secretions in late pregnancy due to hormone levels, and they cannot correctly determine by themselves whether the mucus plug is shed due to cervical maturation or is a physiological discharge. Pay attention to hygiene during late pregnancy, change your underwear regularly and wash your vulva with warm water every day. If you have a lot of vaginal discharge, pain in the lumbosacral area, or brown or blood-like discharge, consider that you will be in labor in the near future, you need to closely observe the appearance of regular contractions, which is the sign of labor. The three main symptoms of labor are redness, water breaking and regular abdominal pain. Be prepared to go to the hospital in time for labor when these symptoms appear. Don’t panic if you simply have cervical mucus flow.