Here are some of the facts about amniotic fluid you need to know on the time when it is right for it to flow.

Amniotic fluid: A kind of liquid which surrounds the baby in the uterus is known as amniotic fluid. This fluid allows smooth movement of the fetus inside without the uterus walls becoming a barrier for free movement. On the other hand, this fluid also helps to provide support inside the uterus providing resilience to the fetus.

The amniotic sac gets full with amniotic fluid in about 2 weeks once the fertilization takes place. After 10 weeks, this fluid possesses carbohydrates, lipids, phospholipids, proteins, and urea which reaches the fetus. As the pregnancy reaches its later phase, the amniotic fluid starts containing urine of the fetus. Recent discovery also shows signs of non-embryonic stem cells in the amniotic fluid.

Leaking Amniotic fluid

Once a woman completes her pregnancy period, the amniotic sac’s membranes break, causing the fluid to come out through the vagina.  This process is known as SROM or ‘Spontaneous Rupture of Membranes’. In lay man’s term, this process is referred to the time when the woman’s ‘water breaks’.

However, sometimes one may find the liquid starts leaking due to a small crack before time. If this process occurs before 37 – 38 weeks, it is known as PROM or Premature Rupture of Membrane. In either case, the fluid may just flow out in the form of an immediate discharge.

In case of PROM, it is important to know the cause. It is ideally caused due to a bacterial infection or some deficiency in the cervix or uterus or the amniotic sac’s structure. The to-be mother should not engage in intercourse if the water breaks.

The leakage may cause further complications for the development of the fetus hampering its growth resulting in bacterial infection that may spread from the vagina to the uterus and finally the fetus.

If there is a small tear in the amniotic sac, it gets cured on its own and the leakage stops all on its own. However, if the cause of the leakage is the rupture of the membrane, then the mother to be is given immediate treatments to avoid any kind of infection. These are some of the facts about amniotic fluid.