By Alicia Burd, Phoenix, AZ USA
PROM at 15 weeks + 2 days. Delivery at 36 weeks.
Story added: 2002-06-07

At around 9 weeks I developed a cold which turned into bronchitis. I had this for 6 weeks. I was 15 weeks 2 days and started to notice that maybe the leaking I had when I coughed might be more than "leaking urine". So I went to the hospital. I wasn't far enough along to be seen in ob triage so they sent me to the ER. Luckily the doctor I saw was a good one. He could see the pooling of the fluid when he examined me but the fern tests were not coming out positive. He had me cough while standing over the slide and finally on the third slide it showed I was ruptured. I have to say that he and my perinatologists office never once mentioned termination. Instead they put me on complete bedrest and told me I would be hospitalized at viability. I was hospitalized at 27 weeks but sent home the next day because my Fetal Fibronectin test came back negative. Well, the following week I was sent back again to determine if I was still leaking by use of an amniosentesis dye test. It was found that I had re- sealed. I was still to be on modified bedrest. In addition to PROM, I also had gestational diabetes and high blood pressure so I was going to the doctor twice a week for monitoring. Well, my fluid levels were doing fine until my 35 week 5 day visit where it was determined I had virtually no fluid left. Off to the hospital I went for monitoring and possible induction. So at 36 weeks 0 days my perfectly healthy 6lb 15 oz 19 in long little girl entered my life. I am truly blessed and thank God for her everyday. She is a miracle baby.