Part UT Health San Antonio
UT Health San AntonioUT Health San Antonio

UTSA Part of UT Health San Antonio

Contact Us | 210-450-9000

Menu
  • Find a Provider
  • Services
  • Cancer Types
  • Locations
  • Patient Care
  • Cancer Center
  • MyChart
  • X
  • Conditions
  • Conditions In-depth
  • Procedures
  • Wellness Centers
  • Natural & Alternative
  • Drug Info
  • Procedure Animations
  • Wellness Videos
Symptom CheckerQuick Nav
 
Health Library Home>Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets>Article

Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes

(PPROM)

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA  
Definition
Causes
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention

Definition

Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is when the amniotic sac breaks before 37 weeks of pregnancy and labor has not started within 1 hour. The sac holds amniotic fluid and the growing baby. In PPROM, the fluid in the sac leaks or gushes out of the birth canal. This is also known as your water breaking.

Fetus in the Amniotic Sac
BL00030_96472_1

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Causes

PPROM is caused by membranes that are weak or thin.

Risk Factors

Things that may raise the risk of this problem are:

  • PPROM in earlier pregnancies
  • Infection in the amniotic sac
  • Amniocentesis
  • Bleeding late in pregnancy
  • Procedures used to treat problems of the cervix
  • Short cervix
  • Enlarged uterus
  • Smoking during pregnancy
  • Low body mass index
  • Connective tissue disorders
  • Lung disease during pregnancy
  • Nutritional problems

Symptoms

The main symptom of PPROM is fluid leaking from the birth canal. There may be a sudden gush or a slow trickle.

PPROM raises the risk of infection. There may also be:

  • Fever
  • Rapid heartbeat

Diagnosis

If a large amount of fluid is leaking from the birth canal, PPROM is likely.

It can be hard to tell a slow amniotic trickle apart from urine. You may also have these tests:

  • Nitrazine paper test—the doctor puts a small amount of fluid on a piece of paper to see if it is amniotic fluid
  • Microscopic exam of the fluid

An ultrasound may be done to see how much fluid you have.

Treatment

Treatment depends on when it happens in the pregnancy.

34 to 36 Weeks

The doctor will:

  • Watch the baby’s heart rate
  • Start labor with medicines
  • Possibly give antibiotics

24 to 33 Weeks

The doctor will give antibiotics and steroids. Delivery may be delayed until 33 weeks of pregnancy.

Less than 24 Weeks

The doctor may admit you to the hospital for bed rest and monitoring. 24 weeks is about the youngest a baby can be born.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent PPROM.

RESOURCES:

American Pregnancy Association
http://www.americanpregnancy.org

National Institute of Child Health and Development
https://www.nichd.nih.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://sogc.org

Women's Health Matters
https://www.womenshealthmatters.ca

REFERENCES:

Committee on Practice Bulletins-Obstetrics. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Practice Bulletin No. 188: Prelabor Rupture of Membranes. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Jan;131(1):e1-e14.

Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/preterm-premature-rupture-of-membranes-pprom. Accessed October 19, 2020.

Last reviewed September 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Elliot M. Levine, MD, FACOG  Last Updated: 4/27/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.

Copyright ©  EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy
Physicians and care providers of
UT Health San Antonio

8300 Floyd Curl Dr.

San Antonio, TX 78229

210-450-9000

Connect with us
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Language Assistance
We make lives better ©

We're a part of UT Health San Antonio, provider of comprehensive health,  dental, &  cancer care,  advanced academics  and  life-saving research.

Web Privacy | Links from websites affiliated with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's website (uthscsa.edu) to other websites do not constitute or imply university endorsement of those sites, their content, or products and services associated with those sites. The content on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Health information on this site is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat conditions. Consult a health care provider if you are in need of treatment.