By Stacey, Bremerton WA
PROM at 32 weeks + 6 days. Delivery at 33 weeks.
Story added: 2001-06-14

My complications started when I was 22 weeks pregnant. I had been slightly leaking amniotic fluid over the past 5 days. I had a feeling something wasn't right and requested that my doctor check me. The nitrazine and fern test were positive that I had ruptured. My amniotic fluid level was very low. I was put on bedrest in the hospital for 6 days. Was given IV fluids and antibiotics. My fluid level went back to normal over the next few days. The doctors thought I had a high leak that may have resealed. I was discharged from the hospital and sent home on strict bedrest. I was on bedrest for close to 10 weeks. At the end of my 32nd week I got up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. When I went back to bed I felt a gush. My heart dropped as I ran back into the bathroom. My water had broke. This time it was a lot. I got to the hospital which was 2 minutes from my house. By the time I got there my contractions were 4 minutes apart. I was given terbutaline and mag sulfate. My fluid level was very low. I was transferred to another hospital by ambulance. A hospital that had a level 3 NICU unit. There the doctor told me that they would monitor the baby and we would try and keep the pregnancy going til 34 weeks. He did say babies do okay with little to no amniotic fluid. The next day though I couldn't hold out. I went into labor. It was a very quick labor. At 8:45 that evening my precious little baby boy "Benjamin" was born. He weighed 4lbs 13oz. He came out crying. His lungs were thankfully fully developed (thanks to the betamethasone injection I received at 31 weeks). He was in the NICU for 1 day and transferred to the Intermediate Care Nursery for 19 days. He is now home and weighs 8lbs! It was a very scary experience. My suggestion to anyone going thru this is to stay on strict bedrest and definitely get the betamethasone injection to mature the babies lungs. I really believe if I hadn't received the injection that my baby would have been on a ventilator.

Good luck to anyone going thru this and know that there is hope. Bedrest may get old and boring. But, once that baby comes out healthy you will know it was totally worth it.