By Vicki, Snellville, GA U.S.
PROM at 30 weeks + 2 days. Delivery at 35 weeks + 3 days.
Story added: 2002-01-26

My PROM story has a very positive outcome, and I have become very aware of how blessed I am to have a healthy 6 yr old son.
At 30 weeks gestation I presented to my OB with leaking amniotic fluid, was diagnosed with PROM, having contractions 2 min. apart, and prepared for delivery. I had always heard that delivery must follow ruptured membranes within a day or so, so I was fearful that I would be delivering a baby 10 weeks premature. I had also been told that white, male babies developed lung maturity latest, leading to increased anxiety. My doctor discussed with me the option of attempting to "stop" labor "for any amount of time we can" to allow for lung maturity and overall fetal maturity. I was started on magnesium sulfate, injectable terbutaline, and finally oral terbutaline. I was given IV fluids to prevent dehydration, total bed rest, antibiotics to prevent infection, Betamethasone steroid injections for fetal lung maturity and constant fetal monitoring and ultrasounds. The doctor was only hoping for several extended days of pregnancy, but since the baby was "doing well" we were able to maintain the pregnancy for 37 additional days(21 consecutive days in the hospital and the remainder at home with electronic monitoring. My son William was born at 35 weeks gestation with full lung maturity and healthy, and only had to remain hospitalized for 7 days due to pneumonia, secondary to fluid aspiration during birth. I am truely blessed and grateful to a competent and aggressive team of Doctors, Nurses and Perinatologists.