37 Weeks Pregnant: Pelvic Pain, Diarrhea & Mucus Discharge - Seeking Advice

Question
I am 37 weeks and will be 38 weeks Thursday. I went to the doctor on last Thursday and was 2cm dialated and 75% effaced. I have been having these very uncomfortable and serious pain in my pelvic area and rectum. I have been having contractions (Braxton Hicks) but they are not consistent. I have had a bad case of diarrhea for the past 2 days, I vomitted twice today and have seen a very thick clear, yellowish mucous discharge from my vagina (no blood). Can you please give me some advice on what is going on. I called my on call doctor and they are saying that I may have a stomach virus but I barely eat so I know it is not a stomach virus. Please help!!!!

Answer
Dear Tish

Thank you for your question.

First of all, I have to say that 2 cm dilatation is a quite normal finding at 37 weeks if you have previous deliveries. However, a 75% effacement is very significant and indicates that you are close to delivery.

Although the vomiting and diarrhea you are having may point to gastrointestinal infection such as a stomach viral infection which the ER doctor suggested, the accompanying yellowish mucous vaginal discharge may point out to an intrauterine infection which may have serious consequences on your health and your baby's wellbeing; a case known as chorioamnionitis. The earliest sign for this type of infection is the occurenece of labor pains and it is always accomanied by fever.

This type of infection occurs when the membranes surrounding the baby rupture with gradual leakage of the fluid inside it; may be the fluid you described as mucous discharge. This is a serious condition that requires delivery in 24 hours. On  the other side you should be aware of the fact that a mucus plug is dislodged closes the cervix in normal pregnancies and is dislodged at the time of delivery but this is a plug not a discharge.

Because proper diagnosis is extremely difficult based on the fact that different possibilities exist in your case, I advise you to go to hospital immediately for proper examination and advise...i hope the advice is not late as you may have already went into labor.

Good Luck.