Version July 2025
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What is preterm prelabor rupture of membranes? —
"Rupture of membranes" is when a pregnant person's water breaks. Prelabor rupture of membranes, or "PROM," is when your water breaks before you go into labor.
"Preterm" PROM, or "PPROM," is when this happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
PPROM is a problem because labor often begins soon after. Babies who are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy can have serious health problems.
PPROM can also lead to problems for the mother. For example, it can lead to an infection in the uterus.
What causes PPROM? —
Doctors aren't sure. But it is more likely to happen in people who:
●Had PPROM before
●Had preterm labor and birth before
●Have an infection in the vagina or uterus
●Have bleeding from the vagina
●Smoke
When should I call the doctor? —
Call your doctor, nurse, or midwife right away if your water breaks. When your water breaks, it can feel like a sudden gush or a slow trickle of fluid from the vagina. The fluid is usually clear or pale yellow and sometimes looks like urine.
You should also call if you:
●Have blood leaking from your vagina
●Think that you are having contractions
●Notice that the baby is moving less than usual
Is there a test for PPROM? —
Yes. Your doctor, nurse, or midwife will use a speculum to examine your cervix. They will look to see if amniotic fluid is leaking from your cervix. They might also take a sample of the fluid in your vagina and test it to make sure that it is amniotic fluid.
Your doctor or midwife might also do an ultrasound exam to check the amount of amniotic fluid around your baby. An ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of your baby in your uterus.
How is PPROM treated? —
If you have PPROM, you will most likely need to stay in the hospital until your baby is born. That's so your doctor or midwife can follow your pregnancy closely. While in the hospital, you will probably be on "bedrest." This means limiting activity and not walking around a lot.
In many cases, labor starts within 1 week of PPROM.
If your labor doesn't start on its own, your doctor or midwife might give you medicine to help start it. This is called "inducing" labor. Your doctor or midwife is more likely to induce labor if:
●You are 34 or more weeks pregnant.
●You are fewer than 34 weeks pregnant, but there is a problem with your pregnancy or your baby's health. The most common problem that might happen is an infection in the uterus. Fever is a common sign of infection.
If your doctor or midwife doesn't induce labor, they might treat you with medicines, including:
●Steroid medicines to help your baby breathe better when they are born
●Antibiotics to prevent an infection
Will my baby be OK? —
That depends on many things, such as how early your baby is born, how developed their lungs are, and whether they have an infection. Babies who are born very early are more likely to have health problems.
Patient education: Preterm labor (The Basics)
Patient education: When a baby is born premature (The Basics)
Patient education: Labor and childbirth (The Basics)
Patient education: How to tell when labor starts (The Basics)
