The waters broke when the baby was born. What to do, how to behave? Inflammatory process, infection

Many pregnant women have concerns about the fact that they have a very poor idea of ​​​​how the water leaves, and what should be done in this case.

Let's start a little further.

Amniotic fluid is the liquid environment in which the baby lives in the uterus of its mother. They are vital to him, as they create him the world, protect against infections and injuries, without them it will quickly die.

Quantity amniotic fluid depends on the duration of pregnancy, usually with a normal pregnancy, by the time of delivery, a woman has about one and a half liters of amniotic fluid.

If we talk about a normal pregnancy and a physiologically flowing birth act, amniotic fluid plays an important role in its development. During childbirth, the head or other presenting part of the fetus is pressed against the bones of the woman's pelvis, dividing the amniotic sac into two parts, and this front part (anterior waters), with each contraction, presses on the cervix like a wedge, helping it open faster. Thus, if the waters break early, this is already bad, the birth will not go quite right.

Unfortunately, this complication accompanies every tenth pregnancy.

If the water has broken in a pregnant woman at a time close to childbirth, hospitalization in the maternity hospital is necessary. Even if the waters have broken, but there are no contractions, for a period of more than 35 weeks, the doctors will call them, because the child is already ready to be born, and his further stay in the uterus is dangerous for both him and his mother. Now the baby is defenseless, the infection can easily get to him from the vagina, and there is absolutely no room for him to move, because the uterus now fits him tightly and literally suffocates him.

How does water flow in pregnant women?

Many are afraid that they will not be able to catch this moment, and these fears are justified. How to understand that the waters have broken? How do you know that the waters are breaking, and not something else?

The fact is that it will not necessarily be a whole waterfall, a very small hole may form in the shells, from which they will leak little by little, almost in drops, but this is also dangerous for the child. Given the increased discharge at the end of pregnancy, and in some especially unhappy ladies, urinary incontinence, which can be mistaken for water, many begin to think about it all the time, sometimes simply worrying themselves in vain with unnecessary fears.

Water leaves when the integrity of the membranes of the fetus is violated. This can happen in different ways, and it’s simply impossible to say how much water flows in time, for someone it will be a waterfall in a few seconds, for someone they will leak for weeks. In any case, if the water has broken, the question of what to do is not even worth it, immediately consult a doctor. If they go away little by little and there are doubts, in any case, you need to go to the antenatal clinic.

Today, special tests are carried out to determine the leakage of amniotic fluid. You will have to buy the test yourself, and it will be carried out by a gynecologist who, using a tampon, will take a little secret from your vagina.

Women are often later dates they are afraid to even take a shower, afraid not to catch that the amniotic fluid has departed. You don't have to be afraid of it. When you leave the shower, if the water has broken, it will continue to leak. A reliable way to tell if your water is breaking is to wear a white cloth pad. It will provide an opportunity to objectively evaluate any discharge. With abundant discharge, it will get wet all at once, clothes will get wet, with a slight leak you will see wet spots that normally have no smell, unlike urine.

After the waters have broken, the question of when to give birth is decided individually. In case of premature pregnancy and the absence of the child's suffering according to CTG and ultrasound, the pregnancy is prolonged. You will have to lie still, take drugs that relax the uterus and an antibiotic to prevent complications. You can’t stay at home if you and your child are not protected by modern medicine, infection of the fetus can cost both lives. And do not be afraid that childbirth will be caused, they try to keep the pregnancy, even if the waters have departed at 20 weeks. If you can lie down for a few weeks, the child will be saved. If the waters broke early term, it will still end in a miscarriage ...

What can you feel when the water breaks:

In rare cases, it happens that a woman does not notice how the waters have departed. There is almost always an unusual sensation of moisture, many women describe their sensations as “peeding”, 100 or more milliliters of liquid can pour out at a time. Almost immediately, with premature rupture of amniotic fluid, there is a feeling of abdominal pain, contractions, or simply a periodic increase in uterine tone. With a slight leak, there may be a feeling of increased discharge, but they look unusual, watery. Usually there is a feeling of increased leakage when moving, walking.

If the fetus is hypoxic, the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid can give them green color if the waters are brown or pink, it is very dangerous. Normally, the water leaves light, not painted in any color.

If your water breaks at home, you should immediately call an ambulance and go to the hospital. It doesn't matter how old you are, you need qualified help.

With the outflow of amniotic fluid at an early stage of pregnancy, when the baby is premature, the sooner you apply, the more likely it is to prolong the pregnancy. If the waters have broken on time, and the birth should take place the other day, what happened means that you will give birth in the next 6, maximum 12 hours, at least the doctors will try to make it so, because it will be better for you and the baby.

Many expectant mothers are interested in how to understand that the water has broken during pregnancy? In order to answer this question as accurately as possible, it is necessary to familiarize yourself in detail with all the details of the process and know what to do at the first sign of water leakage and where to go. This will save valuable time and eliminate the risk negative consequences, which can harm the body of the mother and child.

Functions of amniotic fluid

Each process of pregnancy ends with childbirth. The first symptom that indicates that a woman will soon give birth is the outflow of amniotic fluid. They play an important role in protecting the fetus and are involved in various processes. During the entire period of development, the baby is in this water.

When the rupture of the fetal bladder occurs, it flows out, which leads to the onset of childbirth. Amniotic fluid performs many functions, the main ones being:

  • Protecting the baby from the action of infections and negative factors of influence that can lead to injuries.
  • Participation in material exchange.
  • Ensuring constant pressure and temperature readings are maintained.

It is necessary to take into account the fact that the discharge of fluid can happen at any time during the gestation of the baby, but normally, this should happen at 38 weeks.

What is the discharge of water?

The presented process can be of several types, which is affected by the condition of the cervix and the presence of contractions leading to the onset of labor.

The main ones include:

  1. Premature discharge of water. As a rule, it begins before the onset of labor. Under such conditions, the waters depart, but contractions are not observed. This is not very good, but as statistics show, such cases happen, almost every tenth expectant mother.
  2. Early departure. In this case, the waters are poured out already in the process of contractions, but the cervix is ​​open no more than 4 cm.
  3. Timely departure. This variant of outflow is observed in the first half of childbirth. At this time, there are constant contractions, and the cervix is ​​open by more than four centimeters.
  4. Late outpouring. In this case, the outflow of water occurs after the cervix has fully opened.

Premature and early outflow of fluid is considered difficult, because in the absence of amniotic fluid, which previously protected the baby, the body becomes vulnerable to various infections. In cases where the waters have receded for a long time, and the contractions have not begun, there is a high risk of infection of the infant with an infection, as well as the internal genital organs of a woman.

This is especially true if the pregnant woman had inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system during the period of gestation. To avoid such risks, special antibacterial agents are introduced.

First signs of water break

Water during pregnancy should depart on time so that there are no negative consequences and complications. The process of effusion begins as a result of squeezing and tearing the anterior wall of the bladder by the head of the fetus.

The discharge of water has the following features:

  1. The volume of fluid that begins to drain should be about 200 ml, but for each woman, depending on individual characteristics, it is different.
  2. It is quite difficult to confuse the discharge of fluid with any other process. As statistics show, most often the water begins to break at night during sleep. The woman does not feel any significant symptoms, she just wakes up wet. When the waters break during the daytime, future mom may experience a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, and then feel how the rupture of the fetal bladder has occurred inside.
  3. There are cases when a rupture occurs in the upper part of the bubble and there is only a small hole, water begins to drain in small portions for a long time. It is under such circumstances that a woman may begin to panic and the question arises, how do the waters leave? Such small droplets of liquid may resemble profuse discharge or urinary incontinence. The process of leakage is quite dangerous, because it can harm the fetus, so at the first sign of it, you need to see a doctor.
  4. The fluid from the fetal bladder has some impurities and a sweet smell. Where the water is black, green or brown shade, the presence of meconium is diagnosed, which is secreted when the fetus has a lack of oxygen.
  5. If the water leaves with particles of blood, this may indicate the process of placental abruption, which requires urgent hospitalization.

Every expectant mother should understand how the process of water discharge and the onset of childbirth takes place. She also needs to know what to do in such cases and where to go.

If water leakage is observed, you should immediately contact a specialist so that there is no risk of deterioration in the health of the baby and mother.

Outflow of water before and during childbirth

The first sign that indicates the onset of labor is the discharge of water or contractions. In some cases, both processes can occur simultaneously. Water begins to pour out after 38 weeks, but, as a rule, in nulliparous women, this indicator is rare.

If the liquid is released in small portions, medical supervision is necessary. It should be clear or slightly pinkish in color. In cases where the liquid is clean, but the contractions have not begun or are very weak, you can get to the hospital on your own. When transporting by car, the expectant mother should lie on her side in the back seat to avoid the umbilical cord coming out or starting labor activity.

As practice shows, most cases of outflow of fluid from the fetal bladder at the time of childbirth occur with strong and frequent contractions. In this case, the uterus is open by more than 4 cm, and when one of the next contractions reaches a peak, the fetal bladder stretches and bursts. This process has no painful symptoms. In such cases, the liquid may come out in a stream or flow out gradually.

After the water breaks, the contractions intensify and become more painful. As women who have given birth say, the course of childbirth is easier to bear until the moment when the fluid of the fetal bladder leaves. As a rule, after that, a baby is born within 12 hours. If the birth of the baby does not occur, spend C-section or inducing labor.

If the discharge of water is difficult, it is advisable to call an ambulance so that the woman is under the supervision of specialists. Process premature birth is dangerous for the fetus, therefore, when fluid leaks out, you should immediately go to the hospital and not engage in self-help.

First steps

The discharge of water can occur as naturally and due to medical intervention. The doctor can open the fetal bladder using special tools. Basically, such measures are taken in cases where the pregnancy lasts longer than the due date and it is necessary to induce the process of childbirth. Before the birth process begins, the waters must break or contractions begin, or both processes at once.

What should be done first when the fluid of the fetal bladder began to flow out? This question is asked by many expectant mothers. It will also be useful to know about the details of the presented process for those who are just planning to have a baby. Hospitalization is necessary due to certain circumstances, which include:

  1. After the discharge of water, it is necessary to diagnose the cervix and assess its condition.
  2. Under some circumstances, the leakage of fluid from the fetal sac may pass without contractions, which may require further medical attention.
  3. With an outpouring, there are cases when the umbilical cord falls out. Sometimes, due to compression, fetal hypoxia can occur, which often leads to the death of an unborn baby. It is very important that the doctor sees such a problem in time and excludes it.

In some cases, the cervix may not be ready for childbirth, so additional intervention is needed to speed up the process. There is also a risk of infection of the fetus if it has been without amniotic fluid for a long time. The sooner the baby is born, the better will be his condition and the mother's body.

As soon as the water breaks, you should immediately go to the hospital so that in case of serious deviations, there are no negative consequences and complications that can harm the fetus.

It is necessary to familiarize yourself with all the details of the process in advance and know what to do in such cases. You should not take independent measures, and after the outflow of liquid has occurred, you must immediately go to the hospital.

The waters have broken, when to give birth, how much more time is there? Childbirth is an individual process. The onset of labor can proceed according to the classic scenario with regular contractions and shortening intervals between them. However, there are cases when childbirth begins with the discharge of water against the background of complete health. It is very important for any pregnant woman preparing for the birth of a baby to know what to do if this happens.

First of all, you need to remember: if the waters of pregnant women break, this always means the beginning of childbirth. Traditional medicine allows the fetus to be in an anhydrous period of up to 12 hours (subject to clear waters) without harm to the health of the baby.

What should be done if the waters broke after how much to give birth approximately? The most important thing is not to panic. You have been going to this date for nine long months, think about the fact that soon you will take in your arms a tiny little man, your little son or daughter.

Now about specific actions.
1. Remember the time at which the pregnant woman's waters broke, that is, you, in order to inform the nurse in the emergency department and the doctor who takes care of your birth.

2. A very important characteristic of waters is their color. Try not to wear dark or colored underwear in the last weeks of pregnancy, and sleep on light-colored sheets. This will allow you to determine the color of the waters with a high degree of probability.
Normally, the water should be transparent, whitish flakes are allowed. If the waters are greenish - you need to hurry, the allowable waterless period in this case is reduced to six hours.

3. When you suddenly find yourself in wet trousers, it is quite difficult to concentrate, but try to determine one more important thing: the amount of water that has broken. This does not mean that you need to measure their number in milliliters, you must understand whether all the waters have broken, or only the "front". The total volume of amniotic fluid is about one and a half to two liters, the anterior water is 250-300 ml of liquid (about a glass). If you doubt your ability to determine this, practice in advance - pour a glass of water and two liters on your feet and remember the sensations.

When all the amniotic fluid drains, you will need to stand in the so-called “knee-elbow” position for 15 minutes to prevent a possible complication - prolapse and pinching of the umbilical cord. Of course, you should do this already while waiting for an ambulance, or in the back seat of a car taking you to the nearest hospital. If not departed a large number of transparent waters - you don’t have to hurry, you have a couple of hours, but if there are a lot of waters, and, moreover, they are green, this is the reason to urgently (within an hour and a half) arrive at the hospital.
This is exactly the case when you should hurry up: instead of a pre-selected maternity hospital on the other side of the city, you should go to the nearest one. And if you are “lucky” and your water breaks during rush hour, or there are traffic jams on the way to the maternity hospital, feel free to contact any traffic police officer, they are obliged to provide you with a quick trip to the maternity hospital with the help of special equipment.


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I am not one of those pregnant women who are ready to stay at home until the beginning of the attempts, so I run to the doctor with any “sneeze”. This is probably why in the last week I have already gone to the maternity hospital three times with the suspicion that my waters have broken. And it's good that it was a false alarm - it turned out to be discharge due to thrush, because the period is only 32 weeks, it's too early to give birth. So I'm wondering how to understand that the water has broken? Are there any ways to distinguish them from regular selections?

What is amniotic fluid?

The baby during intrauterine life is in the fetal bladder filled with amniotic fluid - a clear, colorless or slightly yellow liquid with unique abilities. Amniotic fluid is not only the protection of the baby from injury and infection, but also a source of nutrients and a simulator for the digestive tract. Approximately every three hours, the amniotic waters are renewed, while their number remains unchanged. The maximum fluid volume is reached by week 36 and corresponds to 1000-1500 ml.

How to understand that the waters broke earlier than expected?

For most of us, the idea of ​​receding waters is somewhat distorted and exaggerated. Indeed, the discharge of water during pregnancy may look like a small "flood", but if this happens long before childbirth, often the fluid begins to simply leak. In such a situation, it is important to timely establish the leakage of amniotic fluid and take all necessary measures, because it is the integrity of the fetal bladder that is the main factor in protecting the baby from infection.

There is such a thing as a high tear of the amnion, when there is leakage of amniotic fluid in a small volume, which often goes unnoticed. To understand whether the waters have broken or not, it is better to use a special pharmacy test or take a water test in a laboratory.

IMPORTANT! Unlike normal physiological vaginal discharge, amniotic fluid leakage increases with physical activity such as walking or straining. In addition, the process of water leakage is not subject to control, such as the process of urination, which can be stopped at any second.

How to understand that the waters have broken, and how to distinguish them from secretions?

So, you can distinguish amniotic fluid from abundant vaginal discharge by conducting a sheet test. To do this, lie down without underwear on a white sheet folded several times after washing and wiping dry. A colorless and odorless stain on the sheet after an hour makes it clear that the waters have broken and it is time to go to the hospital.

How to understand that the water has broken if there are no contractions yet?

Normally, the rupture of the fetal bladder occurs during childbirth, when the opening of the internal cervical os exceeds 6-7 cm.

Premature rupture of amniotic fluid - this diagnosis is made when the rupture of the membranes occurs in the absence of labor. With a favorable course, soon after the outflow of amniotic waters, the first contractions appear, which gradually intensify and develop into active labor. If this does not happen, the doctor's task is to assess the condition of the mother and fetus and decide on the further management of childbirth. If everything is fine with the baby and mother, the woman is left under observation in the delivery room, waiting for the start of contractions. In the absence of labor activity during the day, a decision is made to stimulate labor or surgical delivery, depending on the maturity of the birth canal.

IMPORTANT! It is a mistake to believe that if the waters broke, then the baby was left there completely without them, since when the fetal bladder ruptures, only “front” waters flow out in an amount of up to 300 ml.

What to do if you suspect a discharge of amniotic fluid?

If you have more or less sorted out the question of how to understand that the waters have broken, you need to clearly know what to do next. One of the mistakes that women often make is waiting for contractions after the waters have been poured. So, in no case should you wait for any contractions at home, you should grab your “alarm suitcase” and go to the hospital. The fact is that the more time has passed after the outflow of water, the higher the risk of infection of the fetus.

During the entire time that a woman is carrying a child, it is located in a special bladder that is filled with amniotic fluid. For the fetus, it is a natural environment that protects it from all kinds of harmful factors. external environment and helps to develop and grow harmoniously. Before childbirth, as a rule, but not for everyone, this bubble breaks its integrity, which entails the discharge of amniotic fluid.

This process means that the baby will be born within 9-11 hours. How to understand that the waters are leaving? After all, it happens that they do not pour out completely, but they can leak.

What does amniotic fluid look like?

Not always the process of discharge of this fluid occurs just before the birth of the child. In the case when this occurs prematurely, they speak of prenatal outpouring of waters. The process is considered early when the cervix is ​​not sufficiently open, and contractions are already underway. If the cervix is ​​opened by more than 3 cm and there is an outpouring of amniotic fluid, then all this is timely. It also happens that the liquid does not leave, then the obstetrician manually pierces the bladder mechanically.

Color and its other parameters are important components by which it is possible to assess what will be the course of labor and the subsequent actions of doctors.

What is the amount of water in pregnant women?

This indicator changes during the entire time the fetus is in the womb. Just before childbirth, their volume is about one and a half liters. This parameter does not mean that there will be so much fluid when the fetal bladder is punctured. Usually, some of the amniotic fluid first leaves, which advances the baby to the cervix. After the fetus presses against the birth canal, you get a contact belt. This is where most of the liquid will come out. Some water will remain in the fetal bladder. It will help ease the sliding of the baby through the birth canal. Thus, the amniotic fluid is theoretically divided into anterior and posterior. How to understand that amniotic fluid has broken? This can be quite difficult to do. But in the case when the fetal bladder ruptures from below, the entire anterior amniotic fluid is poured out. This process is similar to involuntary urination. This usually happens at night, during sleep.

What color should amniotic fluid be?

As a rule, amniotic fluid should be colorless or slightly yellowish. But it also happens that they are of a different color, which is not a very good sign. How do you know if your water broke before giving birth? This is possible if they have a different color from urine. But as mentioned above, this is not good.

Green or cloudy amniotic fluid indicates fetal hypoxia or intrauterine infection. Bad smell from them is also considered a bad sign. The presence of blood impurities indicates placental abruption. All this requires the immediate intervention of specialists to help the child.

What are the sensations during the discharge of amniotic fluid?

When the amniotic fluid is poured out, as a rule, the girl in the position of any unpleasant sensations does not happen. Moisture in the perineum is the main symptom of water leakage. Usually pregnant women hear a pop when the fetal bladder ruptures, but this does not happen to everyone.

Also, the outpouring of amniotic fluid can occur during contractions. How to understand that the waters are leaving? This is understandable by the spasm in the lower abdomen. But it also happens that a woman does not experience any symptoms. Therefore, some pregnant women are afraid to skip this process.

If the water in the toilet broke, how to understand? Usually there is an outpouring of all anterior fluid. There is a sensation as if a very large amount of water has poured out. Actually it is not. It is much less than it seems.

Why is the amniotic sac pierced?

It also happens that the amniotic fluid does not leave until the very birth. There are several indications for which it is necessary to pierce the bladder:


Most girls are afraid to pierce the fetal bladder, but you should not. Nothing wrong with that. This procedure is painless, just a little uncomfortable. Depending on the individual characteristics of each girl, the discharge of amniotic fluid can be at any time, and most likely, closer to the date of birth. Every pregnant girl should know in advance the signs of an outpouring of amniotic fluid in order to go to a medical facility at the right time.

How to understand that a pregnant woman's water will soon break?

If the liquid is released gradually, you should make sure that this does not harm the fetus. You need to contact a specialist immediately. In the absence of contractions and if the date of birth is still far away, the doctor will do an analysis for water leakage and take a swab.

An amniotic fluid test can be done at home. To do this, it must be purchased at a pharmacy. This option is one of the answers to the question of how you can understand that the waters have broken.

When the discharge is abundant, then there is probably amniotic fluid. It may contain mucus. This is normal. One of the signs of amniotic fluid is a sweet smell. Also, the outflow of fluid during rupture of the amniotic sac cannot be stopped, as, for example, urination.

What action should be taken when the water breaks?

As soon as a pregnant woman realizes that she has had an outpouring or amniotic fluid is leaking, you should take documents, some of the necessary things with you (the rest will be brought by relatives later) and go to the hospital, namely to the maternity hospital. Watery discharge suggests that the integrity of the amniotic sac is broken and an infection can enter the fetus at any time. How to understand that the waters are leaving? This can also be done using various kinds of tests.

The fetus can also be without water only for a while. Usually, if within 9-11 hours after the discharge of the amniotic fluid, childbirth does not begin, specialists resort to stimulating this activity or perform an operation called a caesarean section. An indication for this is the prolapse of the umbilical cord when transverse presentation child. This circumstance can be seen when examining the patient.

In the case when the process of outflow of amniotic fluid occurs at home, its color and quantity should be assessed and sent to a medical facility. In the maternity hospital, a pregnant woman with this circumstance will definitely be examined and further measures will be taken (leave in the hospital, take birth or send her safely home). If the waters break at a very early date, then the girl is urgently hospitalized and all the necessary procedures are done in order to save the child. As a rule, doctors manage to prolong the pregnancy at a period of 19 weeks.

How to understand that the waters are breaking, you now know. But we should not forget that in any case it is necessary to contact a specialist in a timely manner in case of this event.



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