Overview
The technical term for your water breaking before labor starts is premature rupture of membranes (PROM). The amniotic sac and amniotic fluid serve many purposes like protecting your baby from infection, cushioning your baby from bumps and injury, and maintaining a constant temperature. The majority of expecting moms will have their water break during labor. For about 1 in 10, it will happen before labor, before the onset of contractions. It was a standard rule for decades that you had to give birth within 24 hours of your water breaking, even if that meant having a cesarean section. Today, we have more research in this arena and are more educated about the risks of employing interventions vs. expectant management. This episode talks about the signs of your water breaking and the risks, options, and evidence concerning the time between premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and birth.
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