What are the risks of premature rupture of membranes?

Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

Updated on May 07, 2025

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Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) refers to the rupture of the amniotic sac before the onset of labor, resulting in intermittent discharge of amniotic fluid from within the uterine cavity. PROM carries the following risks: Firstly, once rupture occurs, pathogens within the vagina can enter the uterine cavity through the cervix, easily leading to infections within the uterine cavity. Severe cases can cause maternal infections, leading to sepsis or septic shock. Secondly, an infection in the uterine cavity can easily cause fetal hypoxia in utero, or even stillbirth. Thirdly, when PROM occurs, the intermittent outflow of amniotic fluid can lead to prolapse of the umbilical cord. Fourthly, PROM can cause a decrease in the pressure within the uterine cavity, which may lead to the detachment of the placenta from the uterine wall, causing placental abruption.

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Written by Liu Wen Li

Obstetrics

1min 9sec

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Premature rupture of membranes

Premature rupture of membranes means that the membranes have ruptured before the onset of labor, before the onset of regular abdominal pain, and the amniotic fluid has already flowed out. This condition is called premature rupture of membranes. Premature rupture of membranes can be harmful. Firstly, after the rupture of the membranes, the barrier of the membranes is gone, which can easily lead to infection. Additionally, after the rupture of the membranes, since the umbilical cord is still very slippery, it can easily fall out with the flow of the amniotic fluid. Once the umbilical cord prolapses, and if the fetal head compresses the umbilical cord, the fetus will not have blood supply, the fetal heart rate will slow down, or even cease, leading to fetal death in utero, etc. Therefore, after the occurrence of premature rupture of membranes, also commonly known as water breaking early, it is important to seek medical attention promptly.

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Written by Liu Wei Jie

Obstetrics

55sec

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Will the fetus still move if the membranes rupture prematurely?

Firstly, it is necessary to identify what the issue of premature rupture of membranes is. Premature rupture of membranes can occur during early pregnancy or the mid-to-late pregnancy stage and involves uncontrollable leakage of fluid from the vagina. If there is no umbilical cord prolapse after the rupture of membranes, the baby will definitely move. The most common issues following premature rupture of membranes are umbilical cord prolapse and infection, as well as a reduction in amniotic fluid. What should be done after premature rupture of membranes occurs? It is essential to remain in bed, raise the buttocks, and avoid getting out of bed. Getting out of bed increases the risk of umbilical cord prolapse, and following umbilical cord prolapse, fetal death in utero can occur, after which fetal movement will no longer be observed.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

1min 9sec

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Can there still be fetal movement if the membranes rupture at five months of pregnancy?

Being about five months pregnant generally corresponds to around twenty weeks of pregnancy. During this period, if premature rupture of membranes (PROM) occurs, fetal movements are usually still perceptible. This is because, although amniotic fluid intermittently leaks due to PROM, it continues to be produced. Therefore, a certain amount of amniotic fluid remains within the amniotic cavity, providing space for fetal activity, allowing the mother to feel fetal movements. However, sometimes there may be abnormal changes in fetal movements, such as an increase or decrease. For a five-month pregnancy with PROM, regardless of the presence of fetal movements, it is generally not recommended to attempt to preserve the pregnancy. This is because the success rate of sustaining the pregnancy is very low at this stage. Even if the pregnancy could be extended by about a month to reach twenty-four weeks, the survival rate of the fetus remains extremely low. Therefore, when PROM occurs at five months of pregnancy, although fetal movements can still be detected, it is not possible to maintain the pregnancy, and it is necessary to promptly opt for induction of labor to terminate the pregnancy.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

50sec

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Premature rupture of membranes' impact on the fetus

Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) refers to the rupture of the amniotic sac before the onset of labor, primarily affecting the fetus in the following ways. First, PROM can easily lead to premature birth, which may cause immature development of the fetus, often requiring treatment in neonatology. Second, PROM can lead to infections within the uterine cavity, subsequently causing newborn infections that can lead to neonatal death. Third, during the treatment of PROM, complications such as placental abruption or umbilical cord prolapse may occur, which can easily cause intrauterine hypoxia or death of the fetus. For PROM, it is essential to undergo proper treatment and monitoring. If any abnormalities arise, it is crucial to terminate the pregnancy promptly.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

1min 8sec

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Is premature rupture of membranes serious?

Premature rupture of membranes refers to the rupture of the amniotic sac before labor begins. The severity of premature rupture of membranes primarily depends on the gestational week when the rupture occurs, as well as whether there are complications such as intrauterine infection or fetal distress. First, for term premature rupture of membranes, which occurs after 37 weeks, the fetus is relatively mature and larger in size; therefore, this condition is not considered severe, and prompt delivery is usually sufficient. Second, for preterm premature rupture of membranes, since the maturity of the fetus is not high and the size is relatively small, there is a higher risk of preterm birth which makes this situation more risky. Third, premature rupture of membranes can easily lead to fetal intrauterine hypoxia or intrauterine infection. If these two conditions occur, it indicates a more serious situation, and pregnancy should be terminated promptly to prevent further deterioration of the condition.