Patient's question:
Patient: Female, 28 years old, approaching her due date, feeling a bit anxious. Please ask the doctor: Do pregnant women always experience bleeding or water breaking before giving birth?Doctor's answer:
Breaking water, bloody show, and abdominal pain are three signs that labor is approaching. You don't necessarily need to have all three; one is enough. Breaking water is the most urgent sign. If you go to the hospital too slowly, the amniotic fluid may not be enough, and the baby could inhale it. Bloody show is relatively better—it's less painful and not as urgent, but you still need to go to the hospital right away. Abdominal pain can vary: some people experience it combined with the other two, while others just have abdominal pain. It may last for a long time, depending on how quickly your cervix opens.