What triggers your water breaking?
No one is entirely sure what happens in a person’s body to cause the amniotic sac to break. Some experts think it’s caused by signals in the fetus’s brain or from hormones that weaken the amniotic sac.
What are the signs that your water is going to break?
There are no signs that your water is going to break; however, most people will be in labor and have contractions before their water breaks. So, if you’re in labor and experiencing contractions, your water can break at any moment.
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What does it feel like when your water breaks?
It feels a little different for everyone. The fetus’s head acts as a cork to plug the cervix. Some people feel a popping sensation followed by a gush of fluid, while others feel nothing. Amniotic fluid can trickle into your underwear like a raindrop or rush down your legs like a waterfall. As contractions progress and as the fetus moves, more fluid can leak. It doesn’t hurt when your water breaks, so you shouldn’t feel any pain.
Can your water break early?
Yes, your water can break before you’re full-term or 37 weeks pregnant. This is called premature (or prelabor) rupture of the membranes (PROM). It happens in about 8% to 10% of pregnancies. You’re at an increased risk of PROM if you:
- Smoke.
- Have vagin*l bleeding in the second or third trimesters.
- Have inflammation or an infection.
- Have had previous PROM.
- Have a short cervix.
There are several courses of treatment your healthcare provider may take if your water breaks early.
If you’re at least 34 weeks pregnant, delivery might be the safest choice. If you’re less than 34 weeks pregnant, your healthcare provider may delay delivery by:
- Using antibiotics to prevent infection.
- Using steroids to mature the fetus’s lungs.
- Using magnesium sulfate for the fetus’s brain.
If you’re less than 24 weeks pregnant, there’s a chance your baby will need to be delivered preterm. Your healthcare provider will discuss the risks and benefits with you and help you decide what’s best for your baby.
