Various causes of premature rupture of membranes & bull; hello healthy

When the membranes break before 37 weeks of gestation and labor doesn't start within an hour afterward, this condition is known as premature rupture of membranes (PROM). About a quarter of all preterm births are due to premature rupture of the amniotic fluid because once your resting sac has ruptured, the best treatment step is to induce labor as quickly as possible whenever safe and possible.

The amniotic sac acts as a barrier to prevent infectious organisms from reaching you and your baby, so the loss of protection from the amniotic fluid will increase the risk of infection. The risk will continue to increase if your water breaks further away from the time of labor. Thus, the earlier your water breaks, the more risks and complications will be involved.

What makes pregnant women prone to premature rupture of membranes?

Early rupture of membranes is a rare complication of pregnancy, affecting only 2-3 percent of pregnancies. However, it is associated with nearly 40 percent of preterm births and can result in an increased risk of health problems and / or death in the newborn - including cerebral hemorrhages, bone deformities, neurological disorders and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The three main causes of neonatal death associated with premature rupture of membranes are prematurity, sepsis and pulmonary hypoplasia.

The rupture of the membranes is often unpredictable, and the causes are often difficult to determine. However, there are a number of factors that make a pregnant woman prone to premature rupture of membranes, including:

Urinary tract infection (UTI) - a common trigger of premature rupture of membranes
History of premature rupture of membranes in a previous pregnancy
History of preterm birth
History of high blood pressure, or being active
Damage to the membrane of the amniotic sac (infection or inflammation)
Accelerated activation of the amniotic membrane
A damaged or weak cervix (from physical trauma, such as a blow during a motorbike accident, or from an infection)
Excessive stretching of the uterus and amniotic sac (distention). Multiple pregnancy or too much amniotic fluid to contain (polyhydramnios) are two common causes of distension
Kidney, bladder, uterine, or vaginal infections
Lack of collagen content in the amniotic sac tissue
Vaginal bleeding for more than one trimester
Breech baby position
Have had a medical procedure on the uterus - cerclage early in pregnancy to prevent premature birth; amniocentesis (genetic abnormality test) in early pregnancy; or a uterine biopsy resulting from an abnormal Pap smear
Have sex
Doing strenuous exercise or physical activity that places great stress on the body
Smoking or abusing drugs
Poor diet and poor nutrition during pregnancy (deficiency of copper, zinc, or vitamin C)
Lung disease
Low body BMI
Connective tissue disease (MCTD) - a collection of symptoms similar to those found in systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, polymyositis, and dermatomyositis
Low family socio-economic status

What will happen when your water breaks prematurely?

When considering what causes the water to break, it is important to understand that it is a natural part of birth that usually occurs just before or during labor. What not many people know, it's quite common for your water to break while you are asleep. Some women may think that they wet the bed at night.

When your water breaks, you will usually hear a sound or feel a small “explosion” in your stomach. The flow of amniotic fluid from one woman to another can be different, some feel like a little wet and others experience a flood that drips profusely from the vagina. The amniotic fluid can be light brown in color with an odor that resembles urine. Sometimes amniotic fluid can also be clear and odorless. If you are not sure that your water has ruptured, contact your doctor so he can do tests to see if your amniotic sac is in condition.

As soon as your water breaks, you will start having contractions if you haven't already. If you don't go into labor within 24 hours of this, you may have preterm labor. Sometimes, when the leakage flow is slow and signs of infection are not present, contractions may not start for a few days or longer. In addition, the location of the leak in the high amniotic sac can sometimes close by itself so that preterm labor can be delayed or thwarted.

It is important to pay attention to the color and smell of amniotic fluid, especially if it is dark brown or green. Sometimes, babies have digestive activity while they are still in the womb and this can cause serious conditions for you. Furthermore, if your water breaks, you are putting you and your baby at a greater risk of infection.

What should I do if my water breaks prematurely?

Treating your ruptured water early will depend on many different factors, including the age at which you were pregnant. Your doctor will discuss with you about considering the risks of having a baby or trying to maintain your pregnancy.

If the water breaks prematurely at 33-36 weeks of gestation, this is called premature rupture of membranes. To overcome this, doctors generally will speed up your labor process if there are no contractions in the next 48 hours. However, if you are under 32 weeks of gestation when your water breaks, which is called a very premature rupture of membranes, you may be treated by trying to delay labor to get the baby to develop longer in the womb. This treatment option can be achieved by giving corticosteroids to accelerate the development of the baby's lung function and antibiotics to prevent / suppress infection.

Of course, all of these decisions will depend on both you and your baby's condition. If either of them is at high health risk, occurs profuse vaginal bleeding, or shows signs of infection, your doctor may decide to continue labor induction and deliver your baby no matter how premature the age. Outcomes for babies born prematurely before 24 weeks are usually poor.

Is there any way to prevent the possibility of premature rupture of the membranes?

Doctors are not always sure what causes premature rupture of membranes, so it can be difficult to know how to prevent it.

Here are a number of steps you can take to reduce your risk of premature rupture of membranes:

Routinely use all antibiotics for bladder and urinary tract infections as prescribed by your doctor. These infections can lead to preterm labor but can be easily treated.
Quit smoking, using drugs, and drinking alcohol.
Routinely attend all prenatal care appointments and prenatal classes.
Vitamin C supplementation after 14 weeks of pregnancy can prevent recurrence of premature rupture of membranes in women who have a previous history of premature rupture of membranes. Vitamin C plays an important role in collagen metabolism and increases the resistance of the amniotic sac membrane tissue.

Also, if you have a previous history of preterm birth, your doctor may prescribe the hormone progesterone. Medical procedures such as cervical ceclage may also be performed to help prevent the possibility of future preterm births.