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When your water breaks
before labour
What is PROM?
PROM means that your water breaks before labour begins. Labour is when you have regular
contractions, or labour pains, in your uterus.
Even though the reasons for PROM are not well understood, it can occur with a healthy pregnancy.
About one in 10 people with healthy pregnancies experience PROM.
If PROM happens before you are 37 weeks pregnant, it is called preterm prelabour
rupture of membranes, or PPROM. The information provided in this document only
applies to PROM at or after 37 weeks. Contact your midwife if you think you might be
experiencing PROM and you are less than 37 weeks pregnant.
How will I know
if my water
has broken?
Many pregnant people wonder
how they will know when their
water breaks. For example,
sometimes it can be hard to tell
the difference between amniotic
uid, pee and regular discharge
from your vagina.
FEELING APPEARANCE SMELL
You may:
• Hear or feel a pop inside
your uterus or vagina.
• Have wet underwear.
• Feel a big gush of uid
that you can’t stop.
• Feel a slow, steady trickle
of uid from your vagina.
Amniotic uid is usually clear or
straw coloured. It may also:
• Look green or yellow (this
happens when the baby has its
rst bowel movement, called
meconium, in the water).
• Contain streaks of blood and
mucous.
• Have little white bits in it (this is
vernix, a creamy white substance
that covers and protects the
baby’s skin).
Some people think amniotic uid
smells sweet or like bleach, or
that it has no smell at all.
Amniotic uid does not smell like
urine and should not smell bad.
This could be a sign of infection.
What is the bag of water,
or amniotic sac?
Your baby grows inside the amniotic sac.
• This is a membrane lled with a liquid
called amniotic uid.
• It acts like a cushion, protecting your baby
from the outside world.
• It allows your baby to move
around freely.
PRELABOUR RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES (PROM)
The AOM is committed, through our statement on Gender Inclusivity and Human Rights, to reect and include trans, genderqueer and intersex
communities in all aspects of our work. In this document, the term “vagina” refers to the birth canal. This is to increase understanding of
important concepts related to PROM across all English literacy levels.
© 2020 Association of Ontario Midwives
Some signs that your water may have broken include: