Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN)

If you think your water broke but aren’t having contractions, you should contact your healthcare provider right away for an evaluation.

Treatment of premature rupture of membranes depends on the baby's age and the mother's health, often involving careful monitoring, antibiotic therapy, and other supportive treatments to help both mother and baby.

Signs that your water has broken include a sudden gush of clear, odorless fluid or ongoing leaking that feels like water from your vagina.

Early signs that your water might be breaking include a gentle leak of clear, watery fluid, a feeling of dampness, and sometimes mild cramping or pressure in your lower belly.

You might first notice a sudden wetness or a steady leak of clear fluid from your vagina, along with a feeling of pressure in your lower belly, which can be signs that your water is about to break.

Certain factors like infections, a history of early water breaking, and other health or lifestyle issues can increase the risk of premature rupture of membranes.

Water breaks when the amniotic sac weakens and stretches due to natural changes in the body and the baby's growth, which eventually causes the sac to rupture.

If your water has been broken for a long time, it can increase the risk of infections in both mom and baby, as well as causing other complications.

When the amniotic sac breaks too soon, the baby can be born early and face risks such as infections, breathing problems, and other complications related to being premature.

Signs of a rupture of membranes include a sudden gush or ongoing leak of clear, watery fluid, a consistent feeling of wetness, and sometimes just a change in your usual vaginal discharge.

When your waters break slowly, you may notice a gentle and continuous flow of clear, watery fluid that dampens your clothes rather than a sudden, heavy gush.

Trickling waters feel like a slow, steady leak of fluid instead of a strong, sudden gush.

Your doctor will do a physical exam and do special tests—like a nitrazine or fern test—to check if the fluid coming out is amniotic fluid, which would mean your water has broken.

Before your water breaks, you might feel pressure in your lower belly, notice a gentle trickle of fluid, or experience light contractions.

Water breaking is usually felt as a sudden gush or continuous leak of warm, clear fluid, which is different from the normal thick or sticky vaginal discharge felt during pregnancy.

Premature rupture of membranes can occur due to infections, inflammation, or weakness in the membranes. Sometimes other health issues in the mother or baby add to the risk.

Complications from premature rupture of membranes can include infections for the mother and problems for the baby such as breathing difficulties and other issues related to being born too early.

The sensation that your water may be about to break can come from changes in your body, sometimes due to small leaks or early signs of labor, and even environmental factors like shifts in barometric pressure.

A typical nursing diagnosis for a patient with premature rupture of membranes is "Risk for Infection" because the broken membranes can allow germs to enter and cause complications.

During pregnancy, about one out of every ten women at term experiences spontaneous rupture of membranes, and around three out of every one hundred pregnancies have a preterm rupture.