Can you walk with premature rupture of membranes?

Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
Updated on September 05, 2024
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In general, if premature rupture of membranes has already occurred, it is normally necessary to rest, avoiding standing and walking. Premature rupture of membranes mainly refers to the situation where the water breaks before the onset of labor pains. This means that the membranes have ruptured and amniotic fluid may leak out at any time. Standing or walking can easily lead to continuous leakage of amniotic fluid, resulting in a reduction of the fluid or prolapse of the umbilical cord due to the leakage. If the prolapsed umbilical cord causes compressive symptoms, the fetus can quickly die within the uterine cavity. Therefore, after confirming premature rupture of membranes, it is necessary to rest in bed with the buttocks elevated and closely monitor specific fetal heart changes.

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Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
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Can I have a bowel movement if my membranes rupture early?

According to the current situation, if premature rupture of membranes has occurred, it is first necessary to clarify whether the amount of vaginal discharge is within the normal range. If a large amount of amniotic fluid flows out of the vagina after activity, try to minimize movement as much as possible. Generally, it is necessary to adopt a left lateral recumbent position with the buttocks elevated, to reduce the outflow of amniotic fluid. It is also necessary to timely use antibiotics to control infection, assess the current progress of labor and the condition of the fetus, and decide on the specific mode of delivery. Normally, bowel movements can be performed, but try to minimize the number of times getting out of bed to avoid the continuous outflow of amniotic fluid or the occurrence of umbilical cord prolapse.

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Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
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What position should be taken when there is premature rupture of membranes?

In general, if premature rupture of membranes occurs before childbirth, appropriate symptomatic treatment should be given to avoid other complications. Normally, pregnant women with premature rupture of membranes should adopt an absolute bed rest position, with the head lower than the body, feet elevated, and buttocks raised. This helps reduce the outflow of amniotic fluid and effectively prevents the occurrence of umbilical cord prolapse. It is also generally recommended to adopt a left lateral recumbent position to prevent issues such as reduced oxygen supply to the fetus due to rightward rotation of the uterus. Timely use of antibiotics to prevent infections is also necessary.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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Is premature rupture of membranes prone to infection?

After premature rupture of membranes, various aspects of impact on both the mother and the fetus can occur, but the most important is the risk of infection. After the rupture of membranes, since the amniotic cavity is connected to the vagina through the cervix, the bacteria present in the vagina can potentially enter the amniotic cavity through the cervix and cause an infection inside the amniotic cavity. Therefore, after the rupture of membranes, the most crucial action is to prevent infection, primarily using antibiotics for treatment and closely monitoring indicators of infection. Monitoring for infection after premature rupture of membranes can be done in the following ways: first, pay attention to the characteristics of the amniotic fluid, which often has an odor in case of infection; second, monitor infection indicators, including white blood cells and C-reactive protein; third, observe if the pregnant woman exhibits any symptoms of fever.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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How is premature rupture of membranes diagnosed?

Premature rupture of membranes refers to the rupture of the membranes before labor, with amniotic fluid leaking intermittently. For the diagnosis of premature rupture of membranes, the following methods are primarily used. First, through the symptoms of the patient, when the membranes rupture prematurely, a clear liquid intermittently leaks from the vagina. However, this liquid must be distinguished from vaginal secretions and urine. Second, judgement can be made based on the presence of fern-like crystals in the amniotic fluid. A small amount of the liquid can be taken and observed under a microscope, and if distinct fern-like crystals are observed, it can be concluded that there is premature rupture of membranes. Third, the use of premature rupture of membranes test strips can aid in diagnosis. If the test strip changes color upon contact with the leaking fluid, it can be definitively diagnosed as premature rupture of membranes. Fourth, ultrasound can serve as a supplementary method, as amniotic fluid often decreases with premature rupture of membranes, and an ultrasound can reveal amniotic fluid levels below the normal range.

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Written by Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
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Premature rupture of membranes causes

The causes of premature rupture of membranes, or premature rupture of membranes, occur before labor when the membranes break. Normally, the membranes should rupture during labor when the cervix is fully dilated. Any rupture before this is called premature rupture of membranes. The main causes of premature rupture of membranes are maternal infections or cephalopelvic disproportion. Infections can cause the membranes to become fragile and thin, and movements afterwards may lead to premature rupture. Another scenario is cephalopelvic disproportion, where the fetus is relatively large and the pelvis is small, leading to changes in amniotic fluid pressure, which can also result in premature rupture of membranes.