Waters breaking (rupture of membranes): how to tell and what to do next
In this article
Waters breaking is when the bag of fluid around your baby, the amniotic sac, breaks and the fluid leaks out through your vagina. Doctors call it rupture of membranes. SGH says it can be a sudden gush or a continuous trickle, and it can happen before contractions start. Singapore hospitals give the same advice: if you think your waters have broken, go to the hospital to be checked.
| Feels like | A sudden gush or a slow, steady trickle |
|---|---|
| Normal look | Clear and pale, sometimes a little bloodstained at first |
| Easy to mix up with | Urine or vaginal discharge |
| Wear | A pad, not a tampon |
| Labour usually follows | Within 24 hours, the NHS says |
How to tell if your waters have broken
SGH says the fluid may come as a sudden gush or a continuous trickle, and it is easy to mistake for vaginal discharge or a urine leak. The RCOG notes that leaking urine is common in pregnancy. The NHS says amniotic fluid is clear and pale and may be a little bloodstained at first.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) suggests wearing a pad, not a tampon, and noting the colour and amount of fluid, then contacting your hospital. HealthHub says that if you are not sure whether your water bag is leaking, check with your doctor straight away. Tell the hospital at once if the fluid is smelly or coloured or you are bleeding, the NHS says. Our guide on how to know if your water broke has more on telling the difference.
Where to go in Singapore
HealthHub's advice is to go to the hospital if you suspect your water bag has burst, because of the risk of infection for you and your baby.
At SGH, go to Labour Ward 52A, Block 5 Level 2, open 24 hours, if you are 20 weeks pregnant or more. Under 20 weeks, SGH sends you to the Emergency Department. At KKH, women 22 weeks or more with water-bag leakage go directly to the Delivery Suite on Level 2 of the Women's Tower. If you are booked elsewhere, call your hospital's delivery suite on the way.
If contractions do not start
The NHS says most women go into labour within 24 hours of their waters breaking. If labour does not start, you will be offered induction, because without the fluid there is a small rise in the risk of infection for your baby. SGH says induction may be recommended if your waters break before labour after 34 weeks.
Carrying group B strep changes the timing. KKH offers induction straight away if your waters break after 37 weeks and you are a known GBS carrier, and lists waters broken more than 18 hours before birth as a risk factor for GBS infection in babies.
Waters breaking before 37 weeks
When the waters break before 37 weeks and labour has not started, doctors call it preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM). The RCOG says it happens in up to 3 in 100 pregnancies and raises the chance of a premature birth and of infection for you and your baby.
The RCOG says you will usually be offered antibiotics and asked to stay in hospital for a few days while you and your baby are watched for infection. If you are both well, the RCOG says it may be better to let the pregnancy continue until 37 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
What does it feel like when your water breaks?
Some women feel a gush they cannot stop; others notice a steady trickle or just feel damp. The RCOG says the amount can vary from a trickle to a gush.
Can my water break before contractions start?
Yes. SGH and HealthHub both say the water bag can break before labour, with no contractions. Go to the hospital to be checked either way.
Should I wait at home after my water breaks?
No. HealthHub and SGH both say to go to the hospital because of the infection risk, even if you feel no contractions yet.
Can a doctor break my waters on purpose?
Yes. It is called artificial rupture of membranes. KKH uses a thin sterile plastic hook once the cervix has started to open, as one step in induction, and the NHS says it can make contractions stronger.
Related terms
- Contractions: The tightening and relaxing of your womb that opens the cervix and pushes your baby down in labour.
- Induction of Labour: Starting labour with medical help, such as a pessary, balloon or drip, instead of waiting for it to begin.
- GBS (Group B Streptococcus): A common bacterium carried in the vagina or rectum by about 1 in 5 women; tested for at 35 to 37 weeks.
- Preterm (Premature) Birth: A baby born alive before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. In Singapore, about 8.5% of babies arrive this early.
- Dilation: How far your cervix has opened in labour, measured in centimetres from closed to 10cm.
- SGH - Going into Labour (read 9 November 2026)
- HealthHub - Labour and Delivery: What to Expect (read 9 November 2026)
- HealthHub - When to Sound the Alarm on Your Pregnancy (read 9 November 2026)
- KKH - Urgent O&G Centre (read 9 November 2026)
- KKH - Group B Streptococcus (GBS) (read 9 November 2026)
- NHS - Signs that labour has begun (read 9 November 2026)
- RCOG - When your waters break prematurely (read 9 November 2026)
