By Carolyn, Spencer, MA USA
PROM at 29 weeks + 6 days. Delivery at 30 weeks + 3 days.
Story added: 2001-09-05

My story is an old one. My son was born in 1973. I was just short of 30 weeks when my membranes ruptured. The doctor wasn't surprised by the rupture because I had a history of premature labor and had stitches in my cervix to prevent it from dilating. I also had an Intrauterine device in place that obviously had not worked. The doctor put me on bed rest, hoping that the membranes would seal up again and my pregnancy would continue. The next night, however, I started contractions and because there was no sign of the membranes healing they brought me in, removed the cervical sutures and prepared for my son's birth.
Luckily for him, if not for me, the labor progressed slowly and he was able to stay with me for 2 more days. It was two days of constant labor for me though and the amount of pain relief I was allowed was minimal. The doctor was afraid that too much would interfere with the baby's chance for survival. He was finally born at 3lbs 3oz and able to breathe on his own. After 6-1/2 weeks in the hospital he came home and started growing. He is now over 6 feet tall and suffered no long term effects of PROM.