What to do if amniotic fluid keeps leaking

Before giving birth, pregnant women may have the problem of amniotic fluid breaking. Once the amniotic fluid breaks, it will of course flow out. The specific situation of the pregnant woman is different, and the situation of amniotic fluid flow is also different. However, no matter what the situation is, the pregnant woman needs to be admitted to the hospital for examination in time when she is flowing amniotic fluid. If there are any abnormalities, she must be treated in time to ensure the safety of the fetus and the pregnant woman!

1. Will the amniotic fluid continue to flow after the water breaks?

The rupture of amniotic fluid is an important sign of impending delivery, so what does it feel like when the amniotic fluid ruptures? Generally, when the amniotic fluid ruptures, there will be vaginal discharge, usually a colorless liquid. The feeling of amniotic fluid ruptures is that a transparent liquid suddenly flows out of the vagina, and the amount is larger than secretions, like water.

Normal amniotic fluid and urine look similar and are very clear. If the water breaks, it will flow out uncontrollably. Amniotic fluid is colorless and odorless. When the amniotic fluid flows out, if the amount is large, it will feel warm and clear, which cannot be controlled by humans. When the amount is small, you will always feel a little wet, like urinating, but it is out of your control and is continuous.

It is normal for your water to break before labor. The incidence rate is about 6%-12% of the total number of births. The breaking of amniotic fluid often causes symptoms such as premature birth, fetal hypoxia, and fetal infection.

Generally, amniotic fluid will flow out intermittently after water breaking. In this case, the mother needs to lie down and go to the hospital in time to wait for delivery.

2. What are the symptoms of amniotic fluid breaking?

If you feel water flowing out of the vagina before contractions occur, it may be early rupture of membranes. You should go to the hospital for examination and timely treatment. Otherwise, it may cause bacterial infection or the umbilical cord may fall into the vagina (umbilical cord prolapse) and cause fetal death.

However, vaginal secretions will increase in the later stages of pregnancy, which does not necessarily mean that water has broken. Generally, when the water breaks, you will feel a sudden flow of water out of the vagina. When the fetal head descends and blocks the cervical opening, the flow of water will decrease, but some water will still flow out as the pregnant woman moves. Therefore, it is best to go to the hospital to have a doctor check. If it is indeed water breaking, you can't wait any longer and must be hospitalized for delivery. After the water breaks, it is recommended that family members lift the pregnant woman's hips and send her to the delivery hospital as soon as possible.

3. What should I do if the amniotic fluid keeps flowing?

This should be treated in combination with the gestational age. If the gestational age is less than 34 weeks, the hip-high position should be adopted, and dexamethasone should be given to promote fetal lung maturity, magnesium sulfate should be used to inhibit uterine contractions and preserve the fetus, close monitoring with color ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring, antibiotics should be used to prevent infection, and the gestational age should be extended as much as possible. If the baby is already full-term, the gestational age is greater than 37 weeks, and the amniotic fluid is flowing continuously, as long as there are no abnormalities in the color Doppler ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring and the contraindications to vaginal delivery have been eliminated, a vaginal delivery can be attempted. If the color ultrasound shows that the amount of amniotic fluid is very small, cesarean section should be considered to terminate the pregnancy.