Sometimes, your waters break but you don’t immediately go into labour. If you are more than 37 weeks pregnant, contractions should begin soon afterwards. If they don’t, there is a gradually increasing risk of infection for both you and the baby.

The bag of waters which sealed your baby in his own little world is no longer there to protect him from germs travelling up from the vagina and your womb is exposed to infection from the outside world.

The majority of women will start labour within 24 hours of their waters breaking and almost all within 48 hours. Provided that these women are given antibiotics to protect against infection, there is very little risk. After 48 hours, however, there is a strong case for inducing labour.