During pregnancy, the baby is cushioned by the amniotic fluid made of bag containing membranes. In cases where there is a tear in the bag due to any form of damage then the fluid leaks out through the cervix into the vagina, a situation normally referred to as water breaking.

Water breaking tends to happen in the last weeks such as week thirty seven but this does not require urgent medical care. If this situation occurs before week thirty seven then adequate attention from medical experts must be sought immediately because the baby may develop more complications during birth.

Precautions to be Taken

Mothers are supposed to avoid any form of panic and just get a sanitary pad and wear it on in order to prevent the fluid from flowing out easily. This pad will make it possible for the mother to see the color of the fluid as the pad will hold the fluid and in the process the fibers will get stained. 

Pregnant women should be able to tell how much fluid they are losing from their bodies and must be in a position to differentiate between their urine which is always too frequent and more during these stages and their normal fluid due to water breaking. Knowing these will help reduce those instances of unnecessary panic which may be undergone by the mothers.

Sanitary pads may not be appropriate for the huge amounts of fluids which gush out of the vagina and so the mother is advised to use something big such as an old towel which is clean so as to be able to allow such discharge to be smelled and hence identified easily.

Once there is a water break the doctor must be called in immediately because infections become difficult to prevent as they are subjected to the open environment through the vagina.

Before labor starts, the following may be done by the doctor:

• The doctor may go on to examine the general condition of the mother for any signs of fever and other symptoms.
• Temperature will be checked by the doctor throughout the day.
• The color and the smell of the fluid will also be checked.
• There are also cases where the water breaks earlier before the required thirty seven weeks and so mothers are advised to inform the doctor immediately so that appropriate measures can be taken to mitigate the problem.

 

Medicines Prescribed

 

Antibiotics may be given to the mother especially if there are cases of known infections which may affect the baby in the womb. Such risks must be prevented as they will affect the unborn baby now that the membrane is porous due to the rupture.

 

Labor may need to be prolonged for some hours and so medicines may be used.

 

Some steroids drugs will be used in order to make the baby develop self breathing habits.

 

Water breaking is common and usual for many expecting women. Proper medical care will ensure that you don't face much of difficulty.

 

 

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