“What Do I Do If My Water Breaks During Pregnancy?”

What Do I Do If My Water Breaks During Pregnancy?

Television shows always dramatize labor and delivery. Watch any TV program and you’ll see a woman going in to labor instantly, often delivering her baby within minutes of the first contractions.  You may imagine you will be at work one day when suddenly a huge gush of water pours out of you and five minutes later you are giving birth.

Fortunately, for most women, this is not the case. By now you may have heard a story or two about a woman who’s water broke dramatically and unexpectedly in the grocery store or in some other inconvenient place.

More often than not, a woman’s water does not break until labor is well under way. For first time moms their water may not break until they have labored for several hours.

How Do I Tell If My Membranes Rupture During Pregnancy?
Of course, there are circumstances when a woman’s water does break. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between a little urine leaking and your water leaking during pregnancy. Most women have a little trouble with urine leakage during pregnancy. Still others have increasing amounts of vaginal discharge that they sometimes mistake for fluid leaking from the uterus.

These are quite common problems during pregnancy. Rupturing the membranes however is quite different from vaginal discharge or urine leakage. How do you know if your water breaks? If you experience a large gush of water that keeps leaking, chances are your water is broken.

Other times you may experience a small leak. If you find clear fluid leaking from your vagina regularly, enough to need a pad change consistently you should call your doctor immediately. This is a good sign you may be leaking amniotic fluid. Some women notice a popping noise or steady trickle of fluid through the vagina when their water breaks. Others simply wake in the middle of the night to find their underwear is soaked.

Usually if the gushing continues when you get up after lying down, it will not stop and you need to get to your doctor of the nearest hospital. If your water breaks before you are 36 weeks pregnant, be sure you contact your health care provider immediately. This may put you at risk for premature labor. Your doctor will likely admit you to the hospital and decide on an appropriate course of action.

Typically if your water breaks after you are 37 weeks pregnant, you are considered full term. Most women will start labor on their own after their water breaks during pregnancy. If you are not sure whether your water has actually broken, call your doctor’s office. Most doctors can perform a simple test to discover whether amniotic fluid is leaking from the vagina.

Often labor begins within 24 hours of your water breaking. If this does not happen your doctor will likely recommend inducing your labor to help protect your baby from infection during pregnancy. If the amniotic fluid is ruptured for more than 24 hours your risk of developing a uterine infection increase dramatically.

Sometimes a doctor will take a wait and watch approach depending on how early you are in your pregnancy.

Here are some extra tips to consider when your water breaks during pregnancy:

•  Call your doctor immediately if you are less than 36 weeks pregnant.
•  Call your doctor if you notice the fluid is green or tinged an unusual color or has an unusual odor.
•  Head to the labor and delivery department if you are more than 36 weeks pregnant and are in active labor.
•  Call your doctor if you are not sure whether you are leaking amniotic fluid, as they can perform a test to confirm whether your membranes are ruptured or not.
•  Call 911 if your water breaks and you feel pressure down below like you have to have a bowel movement or you feel the baby’s head. Delivery may be more imminent than you think! (But don’t panic, this is rarely the case!).
• Head to the emergency room immediately or call 911 if your water breaks and your baby has been lying in a transverse position. This may pose a life-threatening situation for you or your baby.