Is it possible to leak amniotic fluid during pregnancy

Tests are also done to see if everything is okay with the baby, such as auscultation of the baby's heartbeat and fetal biometry. So, it is possible to check if the pregnancy is going well, despite the amniotic fluid loss. Fluid leakage at the end of pregnancy is usually not serious, but if the woman is losing a lot of fluid, the doctor may choose to induce labor. If this loss occurs after 36 weeks, it is usually a sign of rupture of the membranes, so go to the hospital as labor may have started.

The causes for leaking amniotic fluid are not always known. However, it can happen due to genital infections, so go to the obstetrician whenever symptoms such as burning when urinating, genital pain, or redness appear. Some medicines, such as ibuprofen or medicines for high blood pressure, can also decrease the production of amniotic fluid, so it is important to inform the obstetrician before any medication is started.

If you leak amniotic fluid and your membranes rupture earlier than 37 weeks, and your practitioner determines it's too soon for your baby to be safely delivered, you'll most likely receive antibiotics to ward off infection and may need to be hospitalized. Depending on how early you deliver, your baby may need to be in the NICU for some time before coming home. But you can lower your risk of both conditions by attending all of your prenatal appointments, eating well and not smoking.

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Back to Top. An ultrasound can help doctors check how much fluid is surrounding the baby. They may also perform a dye test, which involves introducing blue dye into the amniotic sac and asking the woman to wear a sanitary pad. If the dye shows up on the pad, this can indicate leaking amniotic fluid.

The amniotic sac ruptures when a woman goes into labor. People often refer to this as the water breaking. For most women, it is more likely to feel like a constant trickle. Sometimes, the amniotic sac breaks or leaks before labor starts. If the amniotic sac breaks before the 37th week of pregnancy, doctors refer to it as preterm PROM.

Women who got pregnant less than 6 months after their last labor or are carrying more than one baby have a higher risk of PROM. Treatment will depend on the cause of the leak, as well as the age, health, and development of the fetus. A doctor may recommend bed rest, meaning that the woman should reduce her activities and rest for most of the day. They may also advise abstaining from sex. If a woman has an infection, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics that are safe to take during pregnancy.

If the baby is ready to be born, doctors may choose to initiate labor using a drug called oxytocin. Alternatively, medications called tocolytics can help stop premature labor if it is too early for the birth to occur. About 12 days into pregnancy, an amniotic sac forms around the growing fetus. Amniotic fluid fills the sac and has several purposes, including:. The amniotic fluid comprises mainly water for the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The quantity of fluid in the amniotic sac tends to increase until around the 36th week of pregnancy when it starts to decrease. At its peak, there is about 1 quart of amniotic fluid inside the sac. It is not unusual for women to experience more vaginal discharge than usual during pregnancy.

Vaginal discharge will typically smell mild and appear milky. Women may also leak urine when they are pregnant.