Going home following waters breaking at/or near term

You have been given this information leaflet because your waters have broken and you are happy to go home to await labour.

If your waters break before labour starts this is called Spontaneous Rupture of Membranes (SRoM). This means that the protective sac of fluid around your baby has gone. The water will continue to come away until your baby is born.

You can choose to go home and await the onset of your labour (expectant management) or have your labour started or induced straight away by the use of a hormone drip.

It is important you are aware:

• There is a 60% chance that labour will begin within the next 24 hours.
• There is no difference in the maternal or neonatal outcomes between immediate induction and expectant management with the exception of the risk of serious neonatal infection after PROM is 1% (compared to 0.5% in those with intact membranes).
• Induction after 24 hours is reasonable.

You do not have to return home to await events. You can choose to have your labour induced as soon as we can safely facilitate it on labour ward; this will most likely include the use of the oxytocin hormone drip.

If we do not have capacity to admit you immediately to labour ward to start the induction you can choose to await your admission on our antenatal ward or at home. Please speak to your midwife if you have any questions about either of these options.

If you choose to go home and await events it is important that the following advice and guidelines are followed to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of yourself and your baby.

You should contact the Maternity Assessment Centre (MAC) for advice if you experience any of the following or are concerned in any way about your pregnancy or baby

• You feel unwell or hot and feverish.
• Your temperature is 37.5°C or above (see below information on taking your temperature).
• The colour of the water changes from clear, cloudy or pale pink to any other colour e.g. brown, green or red.
• The smell of the water changes.
• You notice that your baby is not moving as much as normal.
• You experience pain or contractions, stronger or different to normal.

Personal hygiene is important to prevent infection

• Change your maternity pad frequently, at least every four hours during the day, or whenever wet.
• Do not use tampons.
• You may take a bath or shower as you wish, but do not use any bath products e.g. foams or oils.
• Do not go swimming.
• Do not use any perfume, deodorant or talc around the genital area.
• Refrain from any form of sex as this may be a source of infection.

Labour will normally start spontaneously within 24 hours. If you are not in labour 24 hours following your waters breaking you should attend Delivery Suite for induction of labour at the date and time provided by your midwife.

Taking Your Temperature at Home after your waters have broken

We recommend that you take your temperature at home every four hours during hours that you are awake. You will be provided with disposable thermometers to take home with you and shown how to use them.

Please download this resource so that you can write your temperature in the home temperature chart. If your temperature is 37.5°c or above, please telephone the maternity assessment centre at your hospital for admission.

How to Use Disposable Thermometers

• (Tempa•DOT™).
• Tear off a single thermometer from the strip.
• Peel open the pack and remove the thermometer by its handle, do not touch the dotted section.
• Place the dotted section under your tongue as far back as possible into one of the ‘pockets’ at the side.
• Dots can face up or down.
• Press down with your tongue and keep your mouth closed.
• Leave in position for 60 seconds.
• Remove the thermometer and wait 10 seconds before reading.
• Read the temperature using the dots.
• The last recorded blue dot indicates the temperature.
• Ignore any unchanged dots.
• Discard the thermometer into the bin.

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