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Warning: You may not want your children to read some topics in this section. |
Is it my waters?
Ruptured membranes and signs of infection
Looking after yourself with 'ruptured membranes'
Natural therapies for augmenting labour
Waiting or augmenting (inducing) the labour?
Up to 19% of women will break their waters before their labour starts. If there are no signs of infection (for example a fever), and the woman and baby appear well, and the amniotic fluid is clear, then many caregivers will allow the woman to wait for up to 48 - 72 hours for the woman's labour to start on its own. This is known as 'expectant management' or waiting. Up to 80% of women will spontaneously go into labour, if allowed to wait for this time.
Waiting may be a preferable option for many women who wish to avoid inducing (or
augmenting) their labour. It may mean not requiring interventions, having less of a chance of needing pain relief and continuous
monitoring of the baby's heartbeat, and usually being able to stay in their birthplace of choice (for example if a birth centre birth, or homebirth is planned).
The disadvantages of waiting can be an increase in the woman's (and / or baby's) chances of developing an infection and an increased risk of the baby needing antibiotics, or being admitted to the
intensive care nursery. If the decision is made to induce contractions, it will usually be with an
oxytocin drip, however,
prostaglandins may also be occasionally used.
Time limits will vary from hospital to hospital, and between individual caregivers. It would be normal for the woman to contact the hospital (or her caregiver) soon after the waters break. Some caregivers will ask the woman to come straight into the hospital, with a policy to induce the contractions, if the labour does not start within their time limits.