Pregnant women need to recognize the characteristics of ruptured membranes, ato be able to distinguish pruptured membranes which normal and to watch out for. If have ruptured membranes, pregnant mother need go to the doctor immediately forget treatment, even though it's not time to give birth. Especially if the condition of the rupture of the membranes is not normal.
During pregnancy, the amniotic fluid can rupture suddenly, either at the right time (before delivery) or even before the gestational age is sufficient to give birth.
Amniotic fluid has a very important function for the fetus in the womb, namely to protect the fetus from collisions, assist the development of fetal organs, maintain optimal temperature for the fetus, and provide space for fetal movement.
Understanding Ruptured Water
The rupture of membranes can occur suddenly without being noticed by pregnant women. The characteristics of normal ruptured membranes are the discharge that is odorless, clear in color, or may be mixed with a little blood.
Every pregnant woman may experience different characteristics of ruptured membranes, some are dripping slowly and some are coming out of the vagina profusely.
Ruptured membranes are generally a sign that a pregnant woman is about to give birth. However, if the membranes have ruptured and the pregnant woman does not feel any signs of giving birth within 24 hours, the doctor will usually recommend induction.
The purpose of this induction procedure is to speed up the delivery process and reduce the risk of the baby experiencing further complications. One of them is infection.
Signs of ruptured membranes to watch out for
The occurrence of rupture of membranes should not be ignored or taken lightly. You are obliged to immediately notify the doctor or midwife about this incident in order to anticipate any disturbances in pregnancy.
The following are the characteristics of ruptured membranes to watch out for:
- Amniotic fluid is yellowish or greenish in color. This is a sign that there has been a mixture of amniotic fluid with meconium (the first stool of the fetus).
- Broken amniotic fluid accompanied by fever.
- Broken amniotic fluid accompanied by fetal distress.
- Amniotic fluid smells bad. This indicates an infection in the womb.
- The color of the amniotic fluid is darker. This could indicate that the fetus has died in the womb.
- The water breaks before the 37th week of pregnancy (premature rupture of the membranes).
If the membranes rupture before there are signs of labor, immediately take a sanitary napkin and use it to clean the seepage of the fluid. The use of pads is needed to check the color and amount of amniotic fluid that comes out.
It's natural for pregnant women to be worried when their waters break, especially if it happens prematurely. However, pregnant women should not panic. Take a few deep breaths and try to calm yourself down.
Pay attention to the color, amount, and smell of the amniotic fluid, as well as when it comes out. After that, immediately go to the hospital for medical treatment.
Knowing the characteristics of ruptured membranes is important, but even more important is maintaining the health of the pregnant woman and her fetus during pregnancy. Don't forget to always apply a healthy lifestyle and do regular pregnancy check-ups to the obstetrician.