women s health issues
Prelabor Rupture of the Membranes (PROM)
Diagnosis of PROM
Examination of the vagina and cervix using a speculum Using a speculum to spread the walls of the vagina, the doctor or midwife examines the vagina and cervix (the lower part of the uterus) to confirm that the membranes have ruptured and to estimate how much the cervix has opened (dilated). If doctors see amniotic fluid leaking from the vagina, they assume the membranes have ruptured. If prelabor rupture of the membranes is diagnosed and the fetus can survive outside the uterus, the woman is usually admitted to a hospital so that the status of the fetus can be determined. 