The Basics
Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate � �
What is preterm premature rupture of membranes? " � The medical term for when a womans water breaks is "rupture of membranes. " � Premature rupture of membranes is when a woman's water breaks before she goes into labor. Doctors and midwives call premature rupture of membranes "PROM " � for short. "Preterm " � PROM is when this happens when a pregnancy is less than 37 weeks. � �
Preterm PROM is a problem because labor often begins soon after it happens. Babies who are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are premature. Premature babies can have serious health problems. � �
PROM can also lead to problems in the mother. For example, it can lead to an infection in the uterus. � �
What causes preterm PROM? " � Doctors aren't sure why preterm PROM happens in some women and not others. But preterm PROM is more likely to happen in women who: � �
- Had preterm PROM before
- Had preterm labor and delivery before
- Have an infection in the vagina or uterus
- Have bleeding from the vagina
- Smoke
What are the symptoms of preterm PROM? " � When a woman's water breaks, it can feel like a sudden gush or a slow trickle of fluid from the vagina. The fluid is clear or pale yellow and sometimes looks like urine. � �
Is there a test for preterm PROM? " � Yes. Your doctor, nurse, or midwife will use a speculum to examine your cervix. He or she will look to see if amniotic fluid is leaking from your cervix. He or she will also take a sample of the fluid in your vagina, look at it under a microscope, and test it with special paper. This is to make sure the fluid is amniotic fluid. � �
Your doctor or midwife might also do an ultrasound exam to check the amount of amniotic fluid around your baby. An ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of your baby in your uterus. � �
How is preterm PROM treated? " � Almost all women with preterm PROM need to stay in the hospital until their baby is born. That's so their doctor or midwife can follow their pregnancy closely. � �
In many cases, labor starts within 1 week of preterm PROM. � �
If your labor doesn't start on its own, your doctor or midwife might give you medicine to help start it. This is called inducing labor. Your doctor or midwife is more likely to induce labor if: � �
- You are 34 or more weeks pregnant.
- You are less than 34 weeks pregnant, but there is a problem with your pregnancy or your baby's health. The most common problem that might happen is an infection in the uterus.
If your doctor or midwife doesn't deliver your baby right away, he or she might treat you with medicines, including: � �
- Medicines called "steroids " � to help your baby breathe better when he or she is born. (These steroids are different from the ones athletes take to build muscle.)
- Antibiotics to prevent an infection
Will my baby be OK? " � That depends on many factors, such as how early your baby is born, how developed his or her lungs are, and whether he or she has an infection. Babies who are born very early are more likely to have health problems. � �
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 82972 Version 2.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.206 � �
� � 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. � �
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