Rupture of the bladder

Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.

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The rupture of the bladder gives the starting signal for the birth: Even if regular contractions occur beforehand, things only get really serious as soon as the amniotic sac bursts and the amniotic fluid escapes. It usually doesn't take long before a woman can finally hold her child in her arms. Read more about ruptured membranes here!

Timely rupture of the bladder

When the bladder ruptures, the amniotic sac bursts and the amniotic fluid comes off - sometimes in a surge and in large quantities. This is then hardly to be confused with an involuntary leakage of urine. In other cases, as soon as the amniotic sac has ruptured, the amniotic fluid continues to drain in small amounts.

In two thirds of all births, the rupture of the bladder occurs on time, that is, in the opening period (first part of the birth) when the cervix is ​​completely open.

Premature rupture of the bladder

If the amniotic sac already bursts at the beginning of the opening period, when the cervix is ​​not yet fully open, it is called premature rupture of the bladder.

Premature rupture of the bladder

If the amniotic sac bursts before the opening period, it is premature rupture of the sac. Possible causes for this are premature labor, premature cervical ripening, multiple pregnancies, infections emerging from the vagina or medical examinations such as an amniocentesis or amniotic fluid reflection.

What should I do if my bladder ruptures?

In the event of a rupture of the bladder - whether on time, early or prematurely - the first thing to do is to keep calm. Inform your doctor, your midwife and the clinic where you would like to give birth and let them bring you to the clinic in a lying position, possibly also by ambulance. If your bladder ruptures prematurely, you can have pillows pushed under your buttocks so that the child does not slide deeper into the pelvis. This reduces the risk of an umbilical cord incident.

Premature rupture of the bladder: what does the doctor do?

In nine out of ten women, labor begins within 24 hours of the premature rupture of the bladder. Otherwise, depending on the week of pregnancy, the birth may be initiated.

In the event of premature rupture of the bladder after the 36th week of pregnancy (SSW), childbirth is initiated if no contractions occur within eight hours of the discharge of the amniotic fluid. As soon as the amniotic sac has burst, germs can rise out of the vagina and cause a dangerous infection of the membranes, the amniotic fluid, the placenta and also of the child, the so-called amniotic infection syndrome (AIS). Various signs indicate such an infection: increased levels of inflammation in the maternal blood (CRP, white blood cell count) and fever. These signs of infection are therefore checked. In addition, the child is monitored by means of CTG (control of heart sounds and contractions).

If the bladder ruptures prematurely between the 28th and 36th week of pregnancy, labor can be waited for if there is no amniotic infection syndrome. If, on the other hand, there is an AIS, the birth is initiated when the child's lungs are already mature. If the lungs are immature, the woman is given contractions to give the unborn time to mature.

Even with premature rupture of the bladder before the 28th week of pregnancy - provided that signs of infection are carefully checked - the induction of labor can be waited for. To help the child develop lungs, some women are given corticosteroids ("cortisone").

A premature rupture of the bladder before the 24th week of pregnancy has a very unfavorable prognosis: Most babies born at this time have underdeveloped lungs (pulmonary hypoplasia) that are too small and cause severe breathing problems.

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