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What are Ruptured Membranes?

By Angela Sawinski, edHelperBaby

What Are Ruptured Membranes?
           During pregnancy, a sac forms around the baby and fills with fluid. This is called the amniotic sac or bag of waters. The fluid in the sac cushions and protects the baby. Usually, the sac breaks just before or during labor. The technical term for the breaking of the sac is ruptured membranes. More commonly, women may say, "My water broke."

   

  What Happens When the Sac Breaks?
           When the sac breaks, the water may trickle out slowly or it may suddenly gush out all at once. If labor has not already started, it usually starts within 24 hours of the sac breaking.

   

What Should I Do When the Sac Breaks?
           If you think your bag of waters has broken, make sure that nothing enters the vagina because germs could get into the uterus and cause an infection. Call your healthcare provider as soon as it happens even if you have no other signs of labor. Your doctor may want to see you to check:
  • Your temperature
  • The amount and color of the fluid coming out of you
  • The baby's heartbeat, to see if it is beating strong and steady
  • For infection as the cause of the ruptured membranes
  • To see if your cervix is dilated at all
       

       Sometimes the membranes rupture before the 37th week of pregnancy. This is called premature rupture of the membranes. When this happens, your healthcare provider may do more tests to check the health of the baby.       

       If labor does not start within 24 to 72 hours after the sac breaks and you are close to your due date, your provider may want to induce labor. It is important for the baby to be born soon after the sac breaks to help prevent infection of the baby.

   


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