By Lindsay Goodwin, Lafayette, IN United States
PROM at 17 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 32 weeks + 3 days.
Story added: 2009-02-20

After experiencing PROM with my daughter at 32 weeks, I had been advised that I had a 50% chance of PROM'ing again with subsequent pregnancies. My doctor also surmised that the PROM would happen earlier.

We weren't trying to get pregnant this time, but the positive result was unmistakable. We were both nervous and unsure of the future.

Wednesday morning, June 18, 2008, I woke up feeling very wet. Everytime I sat down or stood up, I felt a wet gush. Remembering the feelings from Ruby's PROM, I called my OB and made an appointment.

The doctor walked into the room and stated, "I sure hope your water hasn't broken. If so, this baby won't live." I burst into tears, as I scooted myself down into the stirrups.

Minutes later, the doctor returned with the horrible news. At 17w5d, my amniotic sac had ruptured. I was being admitted to the hospital to await the birth of my child. My husband and I were in shock...disbelief. We knew the PROM would probably happen earlier, but we never imagined it would happen so severely early. We also knew the statistics: There was a 99% chance that I would go into active labor within the next two weeks...long before our child had reached the age of viability.

The next morning, the doctor ordered an ultrasound to check my amniotic fluid levels. I only had 4 cm of fluid left. He informed me that the baby's lungs had only *just* started to develop and that, without more amniotic fluid, they would never have a chance to mature. He also warned me of the drastic risk of maternal infection. Because I have a heart condition, the maternal infection would have been lethal. He asked if I wanted to be induced.

Although we knew the risks, Mike and I could not make the decision to end our child's life. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic routine and sent me home on bedrest, where he suspected I would go into active labor within the next 48 hours.

We went home and prepared all of the funeral arrangements. Our families came into town, and we prepared to lose our child.

Two days later, I was still pregnant.

One week later, I was still pregnant, and my regular OB was back in town. She had me come in for a follow up ultrasound.

Amazingly, my amniotic fluid index had risen to 10 cm. I went back home on strict bedrest (very literally could not get out of bed) and drank my weight in water while religiously taking all of my medication.

One week later, my AFI was up to 14 cm. A week after that, my AFI was 17 cm. From 20 weeks to 32 weeks, my AFI fluctuated between 10 and 17 cms. I was still leaking, but my body was replenishing the amniotic fluid as I was losing it.

At 32 weeks, I went in for my routine weekly ultrasound, and we discovered that the baby's heart was only beating 49 beats per minutes. I was rushed over to the hospital, and my beautiful son was born an hour later by emergency c-section. He weighed 4 lbs. 9 oz., and he was 18 inches long.

He had severely premature lungs, as well as a heart arrhythmia. He spent 24 days in the NICU, where he received surfactant and supplemental oxygen.

Finally, we were allowed to bring him home. Now, he is a very healthy, happy, and CHUNKY four month old. We are SO thankful that God gave us the faith and the courage to continue down the road of 15 weeks of strict bedrest. We have an adorable, miraculous son...all thanks to God!

If you're currently walking down the road of pPROM, you're not alone. Others have gone before you, and we are praying for you. Have faith!

If you'd like to follow our family, complete with two pPROM babies, you can visit us at http://www.not2us.net/blog.