By Brooks, Kingwood, TX USA
PROM at 34 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 34 weeks + 4 days.
Story added: 2001-07-26

I became pregnant with my first child at age 28 the first month we "tried". Pregnancy was pretty normal. Put on bedrest for a weekend in my 20th week with more Braxton Hicks contractions than my conservative doctor was comfortable with. Other than that- very uneventful. Around 27 weeks my blood pressure was mildly elevated in the docs office-lots of stress at work. This discovery made my high strung, type A self panic with each subsequent doctors visit. I literally was having panic attacks before doctors visits. Each visit my pressure would be higher than the last. I could feel my body pulsate as I entered the building. At home and work I monitored my blood pressure closely at normal levels several times a day. The doctor dismissed my readings, saying he had to go on the readings in his office. No protein in urine, no swelling, no other signs of Preeclampsia-just elevated pressures in his office. I might mention he (my doc) was extremely dry, stoic, and not at all helpful with my situation. He kept telling me how this could kill me and the baby. He was certainly an alarmist and not someone I could relate to. I felt it was too late to switch doctors, although in hindsight I would have! I was put on bedrest soon after. I was hospitalized when my pressure in the office soared to 170/114. Normal for me is 120/80. My blood pressure normalized in the hospital, although I was experiencing "panic attacks" prior to seeing the doctor. I had sweaty hands, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and of course the elevated pressure. Still no signs of preeclampsia much to my doctors surprise. He kept insisting he was going to induce me at 36 weeks- almost threatening- despite all non stress tests and sonograms being normal. I was discharged home on bedrest. He scheduled my appointments for twice a week which doubled my panic attacks. I was also seeing a specialist every other week and receiving multiple steroid injections. My water broke unexpectedly at 34 1/2 weeks. I delivered 9 hours later- healthy baby girl 5 lbs 1 oz, 18 1/4 inches. Steroid shots had fortunately matured her lungs enough to not require oxygen. She went home with me two days later and other than jaundice was and still is very healthy. Was it the stress? No tests were done on the placenta-I didn't know to ask. Has anyone else ever had anything similar happen?

Pregnancy #2