What happens next depends on the stage of your pregnancy. If the baby survives, they will often have long-term problems, including: However, it often results in death of the fetus because the baby’s lungs are not able to develop properly. Preterm PROM before the 24th week is rare. This can lead to serious brain injuries and even death. If the fluid leaks out, the umbilical cord may get compressed between the baby and the uterus or in some cases, fall out of the uterus into the vagina. The umbilical cord delivers oxygen and nutrients to the baby and is normally protected by the amniotic fluid. Without amniotic fluid, the umbilical cord is vulnerable to damage. These complications include:Īnother serious complication is umbilical cord compression. An infection can cause serious problems for the baby.įor preterm PROM, the biggest risk is a preterm delivery, which increases risks of complications for the baby. If the uterus becomes infected (chorioamnionitis), the baby must be delivered immediately. If the baby’s heart rate drops, immediate delivery is essential. If your health care provider decides to delay delivery, they should continue to monitor you and your baby to make sure that this decision remains the best course of action. If you are at term (more than 37 weeks pregnant), you may go into labor naturally or your health care provider may induce labor to help reduce the risk of infection. the status and health of the fetus, including listening to the baby’s heart rate.the degree of fetal lung development, to determine if the baby’s lungs are mature enough to operate outside the womb.the presence of infection by testing the amniotic fluid.Once PROM is confirmed, additional tests to assess the following will likely be performed to assess the following: It works by detecting the placental alpha microglobulin-1 biomarker in the amniotic fluid. This test does not require a speculum examination.

Newer noninvasive tests such as the AmniSure ROM test from QIAGEN Sciences.

High levels of these substances mean that the membranes have broken. These include prolactin, alpha-fetoprotein, glucose, and diamine oxidase.

Tests that measure the levels of chemicals known to exist in the amniotic fluid but not in vaginal fluid.

If the membranes have ruptured, the colored fluid will be found in the vagina within 30 minutes.

Dye test: Injecting dye into the amniotic sac through the abdomen.

A few drops of fluid will be placed on a microscope slide and observed under a microscope. If your water is broken, the fluid mixed together with estrogen will create a “fern-like” pattern under a microscope due to salt crystallization. Semen also has a higher pH, so recent vaginal intercourse can produce a false reading. If blood gets in the sample or if there is an infection present, the pH of the vaginal fluid may be higher than normal. This test, however, can produce false positives. A blue strip means it’s more likely the membranes have ruptured. The strips will turn blue if the pH is greater than 6.0. The strips change color depending on the pH of the fluid. This test involves putting a drop of fluid obtained from the vagina onto paper strips containing Nitrazine dye.

Therefore, if the membranes have ruptured, the pH of the sample of vaginal fluid will be higher than normal. Amniotic fluid has a higher pH of 7.1 to 7.3. Normal vaginal pH is between 4.5 and 6.0. This test involves testing the pH of a sample of vaginal fluid. This allows them to examine the inside of the vagina and to collect fluid directly from the vagina. They will insert the speculum into the vagina and gently spread apart the vaginal walls. Your health care provider will collect some fluid from the vagina using a medical tool called a speculum in order to do most of these tests. Since the fluids might be contaminated with blood or other secretions, these tests look for substances or certain characteristics that are normally only found in amniotic fluid. Tests for PROM involve analyzing vaginal secretions to determine if amniotic fluid is present.

They will then order tests to help confirm PROM or PPROM. Your health care provider will examine you and observe the fluid coming from the vagina.

If you suspect that your water has broken and there is fluid leaking from the vagina, your health care provider will need to confirm that the membranes have actually ruptured.

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