Why don't you have labor pains after your water breaks?

Water breaking is a problem that mothers will encounter in the late stages of pregnancy. Once the water breaks, it means that delivery is about to come. It is normal for mothers who are giving birth for the first time not to feel any labor pain after their water breaks. Because the rupture of amniotic fluid does not lead to immediate delivery, it will take some time before contractions occur. Depending on the time of delivery, the duration of labor pains for mothers will also be different.

Amniorrhea is the common name for rupture of membranes (the full name is rupture of membranes), which refers to the phenomenon of amniotic membrane rupture and amniotic fluid flowing out. Under normal circumstances, amniotic fluid ruptures naturally during the first stage of labor when the cervix is ​​almost fully dilated or fully dilated. As uterine contractions continue to intensify and the pressure in the amniotic cavity increases to a certain level, the fetal membrane ruptures naturally and the anterior amniotic fluid flows out. Sometimes the membranes rupture before labor begins, a condition called premature rupture of membranes. Depending on the gestational age, premature rupture of membranes can be divided into full-term premature rupture of membranes (37 weeks of gestation) and preterm premature rupture of membranes (after 20 weeks of gestation but less than 37 weeks). Premature rupture of membranes may cause premature birth, umbilical cord prolapse, fetal distress and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, maternal and fetal infection, and increase perinatal mortality. Normal rupture of membranes is a normal process of childbirth. This article introduces the more dangerous premature rupture of membranes.

Pregnant women suddenly feel a large amount of fluid flowing out of the vagina. This may happen when abdominal pressure increases due to coughing, sneezing, urinating, or holding the breath during defecation. It may also occur after sexual intercourse in the late pregnancy, or it may occur suddenly without any cause. The amount of discharge can be more or less, usually continuous, but sometimes intermittent, with a thin liquid on the underwear or perineal pad without urine odor.

1. Emergency treatment

When premature rupture of membranes occurs, whether or not there is uterine contraction, you must go to the hospital immediately for treatment. When water breaking is suspected, the pregnant woman should stop walking immediately, lie flat or on her left side, raise her hips, avoid movements that increase abdominal pressure, and prevent umbilical cord prolapse. Keep the vulva clean, use a clean, sterilized towel to pad the vulva opening to reduce the chance of infection, and never take a bath.

2. Termination of pregnancy

(1) For women who undergo vaginal delivery with full-term or near-term premature rupture of membranes, natural labor usually occurs within 12 hours after rupture of membranes. If labor does not occur within 12 hours, medical induction of labor will be given.

(2) Cesarean section should be performed when the fetal lungs are mature, there are obvious signs of infection or fetal distress, abnormal fetal position, high floating fetal head, or immature cervix.

(3) Pregnancy with miscarriage < 24 weeks should be terminated.

3. Expectant treatment

Suitable for patients with 28 to 35 weeks of pregnancy and no infection. Pregnant women should stay in bed, keep their vulva clean, and avoid unnecessary anal and vaginal examinations. If the pregnancy is over 34 weeks and the membranes have ruptured for more than 12 hours without clinical occurrence, antibiotics should be used to prevent infection. For those whose pregnancy is less than 34 weeks, adrenal cortex hormone should be given to promote fetal lung maturity. Magnesium sulfate was given to those who had uterine contractions to suppress them. For those with too little amniotic fluid, transabdominal amniotic fluid infusion can be performed to help fetal lung development.