What makes your amniotic sac break

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Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Your baby is cushioned in the amniotic sac during pregnancy. It holds amniotic fluid , which protects your baby. When this sac ruptures, the amniotic fluid flows out of your vagina. This is commonly referred to as water breaking.

Generally, water breaking signals that you have entered labor and your baby is ready to be delivered. However, in some cases, your amniotic sac doesn't break and your gynecologist may have to induce it. This usually occurs in pregnant people who have reached 41 weeks of pregnancy. In others, the membranes may break before labor. This is called premature rupture of membranes.

Most will go into labor on their own within 24 hours of their water breaking. The earlier your water breaks, the more serious it is for you and your baby. If the membranes are ruptured too early, the umbilical cord could slip down around or below the baby's head. This is called a cord prolapse. If the cord gets squeezed between the baby's head and the pelvis bones, the blood supply to the baby may be decreased or stopped.

To rupture your amniotic sac, your doctor inserts a sterile plastic hook into your vagina. It may look like a long crochet hook, or it may be a smaller hook attached to the finger of a sterile glove.

The hook is used to pull gently on the amniotic sac until the sac breaks. This is usually not painful. You may feel a large gush of fluid. So you may still feel some leaking, especially right after a hard contraction. Author: Healthwise Staff.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Another way to tell is to stand up.

If the fluid seems to leak more while standing, it indicates that the water has broken. Also, if the fluid continues to slowly leak over time rather than being a single gush, it is more likely to be amniotic fluid. It is important to note that there will be no pain when the water breaks because the amniotic sac does not have pain receptors. On rare occasions, it may break before labor. If this occurs and labor does not start soon after, a medical professional may induce labor to start uterus contractions.

This is due to the risk of infection for the woman and the baby if labor does not begin soon after the water breaks. In most cases, the sac will break when the woman is at full term 39 weeks to 40 weeks and 6 days. Sometimes, however, the water may break before this. It can cause complications such as:. When PPROM occurs at 34 weeks of pregnancy or later, a doctor may recommend delivering the baby to reduce the risk of complications.

However, if there is no indication of infection, they may allow the pregnancy to continue, under careful monitoring, until labor begins. When PPROM occurs before 34 weeks, the doctor will try to delay delivery to allow the fetus to develop further.

They may also administer other medications. The water breaks when the amniotic sac ruptures. The fetus is inside this sac and surrounded by the fluid, which protects them from injury. It is necessary for the sac to rupture so that the baby can be born. Medical professionals may sometimes artificially break the sac if it does not break naturally. You and your baby will be evaluated to determine the next steps.

Typically, after your water breaks at term, labor soon follows — if it hasn't already begun. Sometimes, however, labor doesn't start. If you experience prelabor rupture of membranes, your doctor might stimulate uterine contractions before labor begins on its own labor induction. The longer it takes for labor to start after your water breaks, the greater the risk of you or your baby developing an infection. If your water breaks before the 37th week of pregnancy, it's known as preterm prelabor rupture of membranes preterm PROM.

Risk factors for water breaking too early include:. Potential complications include maternal or fetal infection, placental abruption — when the placenta peels away from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery — and umbilical cord problems. The baby is also at risk of complications due to premature birth. If you have preterm PROM and you're at least 34 weeks pregnant, delivery might be recommended to avoid an infection.

However, if there are no signs of infection or fetal health problems, research suggests that pregnancy can safely be allowed to continue as long as it's carefully monitored.

If you're between 24 and 34 weeks pregnant, your health care provider will try to delay delivery until your baby is more developed. You'll be given antibiotics to prevent an infection and an injection of potent steroids corticosteroids to speed your baby's lung maturity.

If you're less than 32 weeks pregnant and at risk of delivering in the next few days, you might be given magnesium sulfate to protect the baby's nervous system.

Corticosteroids might also be recommended starting at week 23 of pregnancy, if you're at risk of delivering within 7 days.

In addition, corticosteroids might be recommended if you're between weeks 34 and 36 and 6 days of pregnancy, at risk of delivering within 7 days, and you haven't previously received them.

You might be given a repeat course of corticosteroids if you're less than 34 weeks pregnant, at risk of delivering within 7 days and a prior course of corticosteroids was given to you more than 14 days previously. If you're less than 24 weeks pregnant, your health care provider will explain the risks of having a very preterm baby and the risks and benefits of trying to delay labor.

During active labor, if your cervix is dilated and thinned and the baby's head is deep in your pelvis, your health care provider might use a technique known as an amniotomy to start labor contractions or make them stronger if they have already begun.