Bleeding after your waters break

Call your maternity unit or labour ward now and describe the blood, fluid, contractions, pain and your baby's movements. Do not wait for a routine appointment.

A small streak of blood can come from the cervix as it changes during labour, or from a recent vaginal examination. Fresh red blood, ongoing bleeding or clots can have other causes that require prompt examination. The colour and amount alone cannot identify the cause safely at home.

If the waters break before labour is expected, your team will also assess for infection and preterm labour. They may check your observations, your baby's heartbeat and whether labour has started.

Use a clean maternity pad rather than a tampon so the team can assess the colour and amount. Note when the fluid and bleeding began, whether the fluid was clear, pink, green or brown, and whether it has an unusual smell.

Avoid sex and do not put anything into the vagina. Follow the maternity unit's travel instructions, take your pregnancy notes if available, and arrange safe transport rather than driving yourself if you feel unwell.

Call emergency services if bleeding is heavy or rapidly increasing, or if you have severe constant abdominal pain, feel faint, collapse, have difficulty breathing, or cannot reach maternity care safely.

Tell the maternity team immediately about reduced or absent baby movements, fever or chills, green or brown fluid, a strong urge to push, or anything resembling the umbilical cord in the vagina. If a cord is visible or felt, call emergency services, avoid touching it and follow the call handler's positioning instructions.

Ask whether you should come straight to the labour ward, what monitoring you and your baby will need, and whether the findings suggest labour or another cause of bleeding. You can also ask what changes in bleeding, movements, temperature or contractions should be reported while you are being assessed.