By Cindy Wyatt, Birmingham, Alabama USAMy water had ruptured with my first son at 38 weeks, born 9/7/99. For fear of infection, I was induced and my son ended up being delivered via c- section the following day.
PROM at 33 weeks + 1 days. Delivery at 34 weeks + 1 days.
Story added: 2002-03-03
Almost two years later, I became pregnant again with a due date of 2/20/02. During mid-December, I contracted a week long stomach virus that I thought had been some type of food poisoning. A week later, my husband and son contracted a stomach virus which I then contracted also. It lasted a couple of days this time. Two days later, on January 2, I started feeling extremely tired and decided to go to bed early. I awoke about 45 minutes later and realized my water had broke. Mortified, as it was seven weeks before my due date, we went to the hospital where they confirmed that my membranes had ruptured. I was not having any labor pains and was less than 1 cm. dilated. I was admitted and administered steroid shots.
They told me there was about a 90% chance I would deliver within 48 hours. Well, I actually made it 8 days and would have made it longer had the umbilical cord not prolapsed (a mortifying event). My son was delivered via emergency c-section under general anesthesia (and to think I actually had prepared a birth plan and was going to try for a VBAC). He only weighed 3 lbs. 12 oz. but appears to be perfectly healthy (he is 8 weeks at this writing). He stayed in NICU for 2 1/2 weeks to gain to 4 pounds before we were able to bring him home.
All in all, even though we have a healthy child, I am mortified at having the third I have always wanted for fear of my water rupturing even earlier. I discussed my concern with my doctor and he vaguely said that my water would almost definetly rupture again, however, not necessarily early. They only tested for Beta Strep which was negative, so he can offer no reasons why I had ruptured prematurely. I am eternally wondering if there was something I could have done to prevent it. I will update my post with the results if/when we decide to become pregnant again.