Preterm water breaking: what to know

You might notice a gush, a warm trickle, or damp underwear that keeps returning. Amniotic fluid is often clear or pale, but colour and smell are not enough to confirm the cause. Urine and vaginal discharge can look or feel similar.

At the maternity unit, clinicians may ask about the timing and amount of fluid, check you for infection or contractions, and monitor the baby's heart rate. Early water breaking can occur without labour at first, though it can be linked with [Preterm Labour](/conditions/preterm-labour/).

Phone your maternity unit now if you suspect your waters have broken. Put on a clean pad, note the fluid's colour and odour, and take your pregnancy records if you attend. Do not insert anything into the vagina or have sex until you have received medical advice.

Follow the team's instructions after assessment. They may recommend monitoring, tests, treatment, or a plan for birth based on your pregnancy and the baby's condition. Do not wait for painful contractions before calling.

Call urgently if you have a temperature, chills, increasing pain, contractions, bleeding, bad-smelling or green fluid, or fewer baby movements. A visible cord or body part at the vaginal opening is an emergency; call emergency services, lie down, and avoid pushing it back.

Ask how the leak will be confirmed, whether you need observation, how infection and fetal wellbeing will be monitored, and what to do if fluid leaks again. Ask which changes in movements, pain, temperature, or fluid require immediate return.