While you’re pregnant, you’ll hear a lot of acronyms, ranging from those used in pregnancy Facebook or chat groups like FTM (first time mum) to medical ones used by midwives and doctors like VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section). The pregnancy and birth conditions we’re looking at today are commonly known by their acronyms: PPROM and SROM. But what do they mean?
PPROM: Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes
SROM: Spontaneous Rupture of Membranes
In short, both of these terms refer to when a pregnant woman’s waters break before giving birth. This is the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus which helps to cushion it as well as support its development.
What is the difference between PPROM and SROM?
PPROM is usually the term used when your waters break before reaching full term, which is generally defined as 37 weeks pregnant.
SROM is the term used to describe your waters breaking before regular contractions or labour begin. In the majority of cases, waters will break during labour as opposed to how labour and birth are often shown in films where the waters breaking signals the beginning of the process. Your waters breaking may also not come in a big gush as is portrayed in the media either! It may be a slow and steady leak, or there may be a gush followed by continued leaking. The best thing to do is to contact your midwife or labour ward either way.
What do I need to know about SROM?
Pre-labour spontaneous rupture of membranes in full term pregnancies is usually nothing to worry about. SROM is estimated to happen in around 8 to 10% of pregnancies. In around 60-80% of cases of SROM, labour will begin naturally within 24 hours, and in 90% of cases within 48 hours.
If your waters break spontaneously before the onset of labour, you will be asked to contact your midwife or labour ward to notify them. In some cases, they will ask you to come in for a check – they may want to make sure that it definitely was your waters breaking, as well as a few other factors such as your baby’s heartbeat, your temperature and they may offer a check of your cervix to see whether you are beginning to dilate. In most cases of low risk pregnancy, you will be sent home to await the onset of labour.
Usually your labour ward will ask you to wait 24 hours for your contractions to start; if this is not the case, you will likely be asked to return so that they can make further checks and offer you an induction of labour. This is because the risk of infection is heightened once your waters have broken. You may be kept in hospital under observation until labour begins.
What do I need to know about PPROM?
When your waters break before 37 weeks, there are a few different ways that you may go ahead.
Generally if your membranes have ruptured between 34 and 37 weeks, you will be offered an induction. The risk of infection is usually higher than the risks to your baby being born a few weeks early at this stage. Your healthcare provider will do all the necessary checks to ensure that your baby can safely be born. Some who are towards the earlier end of this range may be offered steroids to help the baby’s lungs develop more quickly so that they are ready to come into the world.
If your waters break before 34 weeks, you will be carefully checked for any signs of infection, but it is likely that your healthcare provider will try to avoid birth before 34 weeks. Usually, a pregnant woman whose waters have broken before 34 weeks will be put on bed rest and antibiotics to help prevent infection; sometimes they may be asked to remain in hospital during this time. You will also receive steroids to help the baby’s lungs develop so that when they are strong enough, labour can be safely induced.
If PPROM causes your baby to be born early, they will be admitted to a special care unit in the hospital where they will receive specialised care – this may be NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) or SCBU (special care baby unit) which will differ based on the complexity of care needed. The length of the stay there will depend on what requirements your baby has after the birth, but most are usually discharged by their due date.
References:
