Bag of Water Breaks (Ruptured Membranes)

What are ruptured membranes?

During pregnancy, the baby develops inside a sac that is filled with fluid that comes from the lining of the sac and from the baby’s bladder. This is called the amniotic sac. It is sometimes also called the bag of water. The fluid in the sac is called amniotic fluid. The fluid helps cushion and protect the baby. It is also important for helping the baby grow normally. Usually the sac breaks just before or during labor. The technical term for the breaking of the sac is “ruptured membranes.” More commonly, when this happens a woman might say, "My water broke."

What happens when the sac breaks?

When the sac breaks, the water may trickle out slowly or it may suddenly gush out. Sometimes this happens after labor starts. Most women who are not already in labor start having contractions within 24 hours after the sac breaks.

What should I do when the sac breaks?

If you think your bag of water has broken:

• Do not use tampons or have sex. Bacteria could get into the uterus (womb) and cause an infection.
• Call your healthcare provider even if you have no other signs of labor.

Your provider will want to see you and will check:

• your temperature and pulse
• the amount and color of the fluid coming out of your vagina
• the baby's heartbeat, to see if it is strong and steady

You may have other tests. For example, you may be checked for infection, which can sometimes cause the sac to break. You may have an ultrasound scan to check the amount of fluid still around the baby. You probably will be admitted to the hospital.

Sometimes the membranes rupture before the 37th week of pregnancy. This is called preterm rupture of the membranes. When this happens, your provider may do more tests to check the baby's health.

If labor does not start after the sac breaks and you are close to your due date, your provider may want to start labor. This is called inducing labor and means you may be given medicine to start your contractions. Sometimes, your provider will wait a little bit before trying to induce labor to see if you go into labor on your own.

If you are preterm (especially if you are less than 34 weeks pregnant), your provider may try to keep you pregnant so the baby has more time to grow bigger and more fully developed before delivery. This usually means you need to stay in the hospital until you deliver. In some cases you may need to be in the hospital for many weeks. You may need specialized care at a center that has special resources for managing pregnancies with complications.