Rupturing Membranes

Summary: A woman describes her signs of labor. One first sign that labor is starting for her is the appearance of a small amount of pinkish mucus, sometimes called a bloody show. This sign is the discharge of the mucus plug that served as a barrier between the uterus and the vagina during the pregnancy. Shortly after the bloody show, the amniotic sac ruptured, an event commonly called the water breaking. The amniotic sac, which is filled with fluid, surrounds and protects the baby while it is in the uterus. When the amniotic sac ruptures, amniotic fluid may begin to trickle out of the uterus and vagina. Sometimes the amniotic fluid may actually gush out in a stream. The woman reports to her doctor that she is having contractions, that she had a bloody show, and that her water broke. The doctor tells her to go to the hospital because the combination of the three signs makes it likely that the first phase of labor has started.