By Andrea , Medway, MA USA
PROM at 18 weeksDelivery at 25 weeks + 6 days.
Story added: 2000-03-20

(This story does not have a happy ending)
My membranes ruptured on Dec 1, 1999, at exactly 18 wks when I got up that morning. I thought that it was loss of bladder control and was upset over it (if only that is what it was!)

I thought about calling my OB, but I had my appt and routine U/S scheduled for the next day and decide it could wait. I remember being a little nervous the next morning about the U/S and perhaps wondered if there was more to this loss of bladder control. The ultrasound was a happy event with my husband, my mom and my 23 mo. old (full term) son, my worry was put to rest when we saw the beating heart. (little did we know that the technician was aware of the lack of fluid).

My appt with the OB followed and he told me what was found. He made an appt for me to see the Perinatologist the next day. The peri gave us the grim situation of 20% chance and told us we had to make a decision. My husband and I both knew we would go for it.

We were sent over to labor and delivery to have a white blood count and temperature (if I had an infection, then they said they would have to induce). Neither test indicated an infection and I was admitted for 48 hrs of IV antibiotics.

I was scared to death and to make things worse I had never spent a night away from my son before. I went home after 3 nights on complete bedrest except for bathroom and shower privileges. My mother and sisters made out a schedule and came in to take care of my son everyday. As a stay home mom, I had to deal with giving up complete control over the care of my son. It was very hard on my husband because he was on duty from the minute he came home from work. The stress of the bedrest was emonormous and each U/S showed little fluid (which I expected since I felt is leaking all the time regardless of my position).

Regardless the weeks went by, milestones were reached and we became more and more optimistic. I felt the baby moving on a regular basis, which intially we were told that the lack of fluid may restrict movement. Two days prior to 26 wks, I went to the hospital to be checked because I had some bleeding. I spent the night on IV antibiotics and the fetal monitor and was diagnosis with a urinary tract infection. I was having pain, but it did not register on the monitor and was told that the bladder will often cramp with UTIs. The baby hated the monitor and was awake, moving all night.

I went home the next morning and two nights later start with severe back pain. Within two hours of the onset of pain and with in 15 minutes of arriving at L&D our baby girl Katheryn was born (she was already in the birth canal when we arrived at the hospital) on Jan. 27,2000. She lived for 2 hrs and 10 minutes. The neonatologists said her lungs were too small. We declined an autopsy, but agreed to genetic testing (unfortunately the tissue was untestable). Pathology on the placenta showed that it was infected.

As bad as bedrest was, I would give anything to still be there and counting the weeks, although the expert said that the lungs would have been the same if I made it to our goal of 35 wks (I am not sure that I believe that to be true). I never saw or felt my baby alive. I held her after. The night of the UTI when she was on the fetal monitor and was awake and moving all night will always be our special night.

PAP PG Story