The appearance of a clear liquid in a sufficiently large volume from the genital tract in the second half of pregnancy may mean premature discharge of amniotic fluid and the onset of premature labor.
The discharge of amniotic fluid, if it happened before 38-40 weeks of pregnancy, is a complication of its course and is quite dangerous precisely because the waters can leave without the onset of labor, and this, in turn, is fraught with the possibility of developing an ascending infection and infection of the mother and her child.
When the water leaves, a light, slightly opalescent liquid appears, which at home is very difficult to distinguish from urine. In a laboratory setting, analysis to help pinpoint the composition of a liquid and its origin takes only a few minutes. That is why, in the event that there is a suspicion of a premature or early (before the onset of regular labor) discharge of water, you should immediately seek emergency medical help. At the same time, to transport a woman to a maternity hospital or a gynecological department, it is better to call an ambulance, whose doctors will be able to perform all the necessary manipulations. And it is better to transport a woman, especially during pregnancy that has not yet reached 38 weeks (the term of birth of a normal, viable child), in a prone position.
If possible, with a gestational age that has not yet reached this milestone, you should try to collect a small amount of liquid in a clean glass container - this will allow you to perform the analysis during the time that the documentation will be drawn up in the emergency room. With a slight leakage of fluid from the fetal bladder, hospitalization of a woman in a maternity hospital is mandatory - this will allow obstetricians to conduct long-term dynamic monitoring of the condition of the mother and fetus, and will also make it possible to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics, which will prevent the development of an acute ascending infection of the internal genital organs of the woman in labor … Prescribed antibiotics do not have a negative effect on the child's body, but contribute to the prevention of generic sepsis.
You should never stay at home in the event of even the slightest leakage of amniotic fluid - in this case, labor can begin at any time, but there is no guarantee that a woman will be able to be taken to a medical facility on time. And the risk of developing tetanus in the event of premature and early discharge of amniotic fluid remains very high.
A woman can use sanitary pads, but they usually cannot help to cope with the problem.
But what a woman should definitely not do after the amniotic fluid has departed is to take a shower or wash in a bath, wanting to arrive at a medical facility clean.
