Your water breaks, is it true that labor will start soon?

Broken amniotic fluid is one of the many signs of childbirth that a mother needs to recognize. But actually, when does the amniotic fluid really break, which indicates labor will start soon?

Find out more information about breaking water as a sign of childbirth through the reviews below!

What causes the water to break?

Amniotic fluid is the water that surrounds the baby while he is in the womb or the mother's womb.

The membrane or layer of tissue that keeps amniotic fluid is called the amniotic sac.

Often times, the amniotic sac breaks during labor. Sometimes these sacs rupture before delivery is known as premature rupture of membranes (PROM).

Premature rupture of membranes is also known as membranes breaking before the time of delivery or premature rupture of membranes (PROM).

Most women will give birth less than 24 hours after the rupture of the amniotic sac.

However, there are also those who experience rupture of membranes before the 37th week of pregnancy and this is commonly referred to as preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM).

The premature rupture of the membranes can have serious consequences for both mother and baby.

That is why mothers are encouraged to be more careful in maintaining their own health and the womb during pregnancy.

It is not certain what causes the rupture of the amniotic fluid, but usually this condition is a sign that labor will arrive.

Likewise, the cause of the premature rupture of the amniotic sac before labor, so that the main cause is unclear.

While the risk factors for premature rupture of the amniotic sac before childbirth are:

Have experienced ruptured membranes before giving birth in a previous pregnancy.
Have an intra-amniotic infection or inflammation of the lining of the uterus.
Experiencing vaginal bleeding in the second and third trimesters.
Have a short cervix or cervix.
Have a poor nutritional condition.
Smoking and using illegal drugs while pregnant.

What are the characteristics of a broken amniotic fluid?

During pregnancy, the amniotic sac and the water in it have a big role to play in protecting the baby.

When the amniotic sac ruptures, the fluid automatically comes out because it doesn't have a place to accommodate it.

This ruptured amniotic sac has characteristics or signs in the form of a wet sensation in the vagina and perineum (the area between the vagina and anus).

This is because the broken amniotic fluid flows out through the cervix (cervix) and ends up in the vagina.

The fluid that comes out is usually slowly or spurts with a constant or intermittent frequency.

The color of the amniotic fluid is usually clear or pale yellow. Not infrequently, when the amniotic fluid leaks out slowly, pregnant women sometimes think of it as urine.

So, if you see some liquid coming out, you can accommodate some of it using any object. Look closely and smell the aroma.

Amniotic fluid is usually clear and does not smell like urine because it smells much sweeter.

How long does it take for a baby to be born after the water breaks?

If the amniotic sac breaks during pregnancy at week 37, it means that the baby is ready to be born.

Because the birth of a baby and the breaking of the amniotic fluid is difficult to predict, make sure you have prepared various labor preparations and delivery supplies ahead of time.

After the water breaks, the question of how long it will take for the baby to be born can be answered immediately.

Launching from the NHS page, mothers who experience broken membranes will usually give birth within 24 hours after that.

It's just that, in certain conditions, labor may not start even though the signs or signs of childbirth, namely a ruptured amniotic sac, are visible.

Yes, this can happen when the water breaks but there is no opening yet. In this condition you have to rest (bed rest) to prevent infection and aggravate the condition.

In fact, the opening of the birth is a sign of childbirth which is usually accompanied by the appearance of original labor contractions.

When this condition occurs, doctors generally give labor induction to help speed up the arrival of labor.

This is because the longer it takes to start labor after the rupture of the amniotic sac, the greater the risk of the mother or baby developing an infection.

Furthermore, mothers can apply breathing techniques during childbirth and the proper way to push during childbirth to launch a normal delivery process.

If the condition of the mother and baby allows for a normal vaginal delivery, the mother can choose the most comfortable delivery position.

When going through a normal labor but experiencing a few obstacles, the mother may get help from the forceps method, vacuum extraction, or episiotomy (vaginal scissors).

The doctor will determine the most suitable method based on the condition of the mother and baby.

Your water breaks before 37 weeks, what does that mean?

Here are some things that might happen if the amniotic sac breaks at less than 37 weeks of gestation:

Gestational age 34-37 weeks

If the amniotic sac bursts between the 34th to 37th week of pregnancy, the doctor usually recommends that you get induced.

It is safer for the baby even though it must be born a few weeks earlier than you and the baby having an infection.

Gestational age before 34 weeks

Meanwhile, if the amniotic sac breaks before 34 weeks of gestation, this is a more serious condition.

When there are no signs of infection, you may be advised to get plenty of rest until it's time for delivery.

Steroid drugs are given to assist the maturation of the fetal lungs.

The fetus will grow best if its lungs have time to develop before birth.

Usually, you will be asked to be admitted to the hospital for delivery.

This is so that mothers can be supervised and immediately handled if something happens that risks endangering the health of the mother and the baby in the womb.

The doctor can do tests to check the condition of the baby's lungs.

When the baby's lungs are deemed sufficiently well developed, labor induction can be done.

What if your water doesn't break?

The problem of broken amniotic fluid but there is no opening of labor can be treated with labor induction procedures.

However, is it possible that the amniotic fluid has not yet broken even though there has been an opening of labor? The answer, maybe.

When the cervix or cervix is dilated and thinner accompanied by the baby's head that is ready to come out, the doctor and the medical team may use an amniotomy procedure.

Amniotomy is a medical procedure that aims to speed up labor by breaking the amniotic sac.

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, the amniotomy procedure is performed by making a small hole in the amniotic sac using a special tool.

With the formation of this small hole, it is hoped that the amniotic sac can burst immediately so that labor can begin.

When is a rupture of the membranes a cause for concern?

The rupture of the amniotic sac is a natural thing that will happen to every pregnant woman who is about to give birth.

However, some of the conditions below are classified as dangerous so that you must get immediate medical attention, namely:

The amniotic sac ruptures at less than 37 weeks of gestation.
The amniotic fluid smells bad, is greenish or black in color, or shows a lot of blood.
There are no contractions within 24 hours after the rupture of the amniotic sac.

These three things have the risk of putting the mother and baby in danger of childbirth complications.

So, don't underestimate the various conditions you experience during pregnancy and before delivery.

Also make sure you pay attention if your water breaks without any contractions.

Broken amniotic fluid without contractions should immediately get treatment from a doctor to find out the cause and the right treatment.

But sometimes, it may not be easy to tell and distinguish whether amniotic fluid or urine is coming out.

If the mother is not sure when she sees a discharge through the vagina, consult a doctor immediately.

It turns out that the amniotic fluid doesn't always break before giving birth

Although generally the amniotic fluid will break by itself before birth, it turns out that the baby can be born into the world still wrapped in a complete amniotic sac with amniotic fluid.

This rare birth is called en caul which is in latin caul means "helmet".

There are two types caul, that is caul and en caul. Birth caul occurs when the amniotic sac is only partially ruptured, leaving only the remaining intact wraps around the baby's head and face.

The condition of the baby being born wrapped in this makes it look like he is wearing a glass helmet.

Another "variation" of birth caul is the amniotic sac that wraps the baby from the head of the baby's head to the chest, while the stomach to the toes of his feet is free.

Birth caul itself is rare enough, but birth en caul it turns out even rarer.

While birth en caul is when a baby born into the world is still completely wrapped, curled up in an intact, flawless amniotic sac.

Appearance of birth en caul this makes the baby like being trapped in a clear cocoon.

Birth en caul usually most likely to occur in the delivery of premature babies. This is because the very small size of the baby can allow the amniotic sac to remain intact.

The birth of a baby still wrapped in amniotic fluid is fairly safe

Babies are not at high risk for complications arising from birth caul as well as en caul.

Most babies born wrapped in a healthy condition, unless they have problems that preceded them since pregnancy.

However, of course your team of doctors will not allow the baby to linger in this condition to allow him to breathe.

If the doctor or midwife finds that your baby is still born in her amniotic sac, she will immediately make an incision above the baby's nostrils.

This is so that the baby can take a breath for the first time.

After the incision is made, the fluid will be drained and the doctor will peel off the "skin" of the amniotic sac starting from the face and ears, the most vital and complex areas, then the rest of the body.

The doctor also may rub the lining of the amniotic sac with a thin sheet of paper which will then be peeled off the skin.

However, the “broken” amniotic sac will stick to the baby's skin.

Then the peeling process will be very slow and extra careful.

Otherwise, the skin layer of the amniotic sac that sticks tightly to the skin may cause permanent scarring once you pull it tight.

After successfully removing the amniotic sac, the doctor will continue the labor as usual.

The delivery process can be continued by cutting the umbilical cord, sucking the mucus out of the baby's nose and mouth, and cleaning the body of blood and mucus.