How do pregnant women break water? How to understand that the waters have broken?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Amniotic fluid has been your baby's natural environment for all 9 months, but the time has come for the baby to be born, and many mothers are very worried about how the waters break, if they will miss this moment. Particularly fearful and those who give birth for the first time, in a panic ask more experienced mothers if it hurts.

It is simply impossible not to notice such an important moment, unless, of course, the waters have really receded, and are not leaking quietly. But first things first.

How does water break during pregnancy?

When the time comes, the baby presses the head against the bladder wall, after which the latter bursts and amniotic fluid flows out. The birth process is considered to be running, and there is only a matter of time left before the birth of the baby.

In theory, the bubble should burst itself, but in practice, sometimes you have to pierce it. More details about the indications for such manipulations, the need and possible risks will be written in the article below.

How do you know when your waters have broken?

BIdeally, a normal discharge of water occurs according to the following scenario: with intensification of contractions before the discharge of water, a woman hears a pop, after which a lot of fluid flows out of her at once. The volume can vary from 100 to 300 ml. In this case, the liquid flows out in a stream or jet, and this is comparable to urinary incontinence, when nothing depends on you.

But in reality, things can go very differently. It happens that the waters leave without any prerequisites. Even if after this the contractions began, they will be weak and less productive, since the cervix is not yet ready. In this case, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance and go to the maternity hospital. Most likely, the doctor will prescribe the stimulation of contractions to open the cervix.

How long does it take for contractions to start?

Before the water breaks, pregnant women should have strong contractions, but for 10% of expectant mothers, this happens before the contractions begin. This condition is not very good due to the fact that there is a threat of infection. When the water breaks prematurely and the fetus stays in this state for a long time, doctors administer antibacterial agents to the pregnant woman.

There is such a thing as an early outpouring. In this case, before the waters break, contractions still appear, but they are still very weak, and the cervix has not had time to prepare enough. Mouth open 4 cm or less.

Timely departure is an ideal variant of the course of circumstances. The bubble bursts and the waters pour out as soon as the opening of the pharynx becomes more than 4 cm. Contractions are painful and prolonged.

The case when an outpouring occurs at the moment of full disclosure of the cervix or water leaves pregnant women just before childbirth, as you know, is infrequent, but quite possible. In this case, we are talking about a belated outpouring.

As a result, water can break both before and after labor. Timely outpouring of water provokes increased contractions and accelerates the opening of the cervix.

Amount of amniotic fluid

Each pregnancy is individual, but there are norms by which doctors determine the degree of threat to the condition of a pregnant woman. It is believed that with a positive course of pregnancy, the volume of amniotic fluid should be 1-2 liters.

As a rule, at the last ultrasound examination, a specialist checks the amount of water and diagnoses "polyhydramnios" or "oligohydramnios" can be made. Both conditions are fraught with complications and require inpatient treatment. If you are worried about the question “how do the waters leave before childbirth?”, know that they never flow out completely. First, about 300 ml of liquid leaves, and the rest goes directly with the child.

Look at the color of the waters

We figured out how the waters of pregnant women leave, now let's talk about the color of the liquid. Under whatever conditions the discharge of water occurs, the pregnant woman should first of all pay attention to the color, this information is extremely important for the doctor. So:

1. Yellow waters. Of course, normal amniotic fluid should be colorless, but yellowness is considered as a variant of the norm. Don't panic too much, butyou still have to hurry, because after the water breaks, you will have a few hours before the onset of labor.
2. Green waters are serious. The reason for this color may be oligohydramnios, which is fraught with fetal hypoxia, that is, the baby will have oxygen starvation. Another reason is that the child managed to empty the intestines, which is also very dangerous. If the baby swallows meconium, pneumonia may develop.
3. Water with blood. If, with a normal color of the liquid, you notice small streaks of blood, this should not scare you. The fact is that before the water leaves in pregnant women before childbirth, the cervix opens and small discharges are possible. It is quite another matter if there is a lot of blood in the fluid, in this case, placental abruption is possible and immediate hospitalization is required.

Water leakage

There are times when the waters do not break all at once, but only leak. This happens for two reasons: if the bubble bursts along the side seam and if the bubble does not burst, but only cracks. It is very difficult to figure out on your own whether it is water, urinary incontinence or discharge.

So how do you know if your waters have broken? Everything is very simple. At any pharmacy, you can buy an amniotest to determine the nature of the leaking fluid at home. This test is strips similar to panty liners. It is very convenient to use such a test, it gives a 100% result.

If there was no test at hand or you could not find it in a pharmacy, then inIn this case, you can try the following: after using the toilet, wash yourself and dry yourself. Next, you should lie down on a white sheet and rest for an hour and a half. If a wet spot appears on the sheet, then water is leaking.

What to do, how to behave?

It is very useful to know how water breaks in pregnant women before childbirth, because very often this happens at home or on the road, and the expectant mother and her loved ones have to take emergency measures.

What needs to be done:

1. Call an ambulance and state the problem.
2. Change clothes and underwear.
3. In no case should you wash yourself, because there is a threat of infection.
4. If there is blood in the waters, be sure to lie down and not move.
5. If everything is fine with the water, you can carefully prepare to go to the hospital.
6. Try to calm down. Just a little bit left, and you will soon meet your baby.

Medical intervention

In cases where the contractions intensify, the cervix opens, but the bubble does not burst, the doctor can pierce it himself. The procedure is painless and practically harmless for the baby and mother. Since amniotomy is a medical intervention, indications are required for its implementation:

1. Very dense bubble that does not burst even when the cervix is fully openeduterus.
2. Long and weak contractions. If labor activity is delayed, the doctor may pierce the bladder to speed up the opening of the cervix. In addition, some drugs should not be administered when the bladder is full, such as oxytocin.
3. Puncture the bladder if more than 40 weeks have passed and the process has not yet begun.
4. Low placentation.
5. Rhesus conflict.
6. Polyhydramnios or flat bubble.

The bubble is pierced with a long hook, the procedure is painless, since there are no nerve endings in that very place. The puncture is carried out on a gynecological chair or on a couch.

Now you know how the water breaks before childbirth. The most important rule is to stay calm and tune in to the successful completion of affairs.