By Valerie, Singapore Singapore
PROM at 17 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 19 weeks + 1 days.
Story added: 2014-01-22

I've had two previous miscarriages. One at 8 weeks due to a blighted ovum and at 4 weeks which was a chemical pregnancy. Everything was fine during my third pregnancy. The only thing I noticed was the abdominal pain I had the previous week which I thought was due to round ligament pain. Did anyone have others signs before having prom? I was in transit in Singapore for one night and it happened while I was asleep. I woke up at 2am and felt my underwear wet. I immediately thought I was miscarrying and ran to check. I was relieved to see it was clear and thought I had just peed. But after I wiped, I got up and still felt water leaking down my thighs. I knew something was wrong and went directly to the ER. It took a while till I was admitted and while I sat on a wheelchair, I continued to leak. I should've demanded to lie down. Maybe it would have helped keep some amniotic fluid. By the time I saw the doctor and he did the ultrasound, he said that my pregnancy was over. That there was barely any fluid left. But the baby was still alive and we refused to induce even if they said we should. I was admitted and immediately put on antibiotics. The doctor in the ER did not measure my AFI so we don't know how much amniotic fluid I had coming in. Every morning I was a nervous wreck while they checked the baby's heartbeat on the doppler machine. But I knew he was still there since I could feel him moving. They continued to monitor my temperature, blood pressure, blood tests for infection every other day, and drank 2 liters of water. Every other day, they did an ultrasound to check my AFI and I had 0.8 cm - 1.2 cm - 0.7 cm during 11 days. My baby was fighting and I was too. During this time, I did plenty of research but was saddened that my options in Singapore were nil. We looked into the amniopatch but they said it would not work since I had prom due to a spontaneous breakage. If it was due to amniocentesis, they the amniopatch had a higher chance of working. If you are in the US, please see Dr. Ruben Quintero at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida. He is a world renowned fetal surgeon and very kind. I was so upset that I could not travel as he was ready to welcome me. For those who have had prom due to spontaneous breakage, there is a doctor in New York named Dr. Kenneth Bruce who works at the NYU Langone Medical Center. He does an operation using a small endoscopic camera to enter the uterus, finds the rupture and patches it up. It's a very advanced procedure and I don't think any other doctors do it. While my baby lived, I researched as much as I could on what can be done but being in Singapore and unable to travel, I couldn't do more but pray for a miracle. On the 12th day, I woke up with chills. I had a fever and my blood test results show that I had an infection. When I peed, there was mucus leaking already and the doctor after examining said there was definitely an infection and we needed to induce. The infection can harm me and my future chances of getting pregnant again. The baby's heartbeat was still there but was increased showing he was distressed. I couldn't bare to think of my baby suffering. Heartbroken, I had no choice but to agree. They put me again on stronger antibiotics and was told to let them know when I was ready to be induced. I wanted some time alone before beginning but when I tried to rest, my fever spiked and I started to tremble uncontrollably. I never felt so cold. They started to induce me and for five grueling hours, I had contractions. I never made it to any birth classes and felt cheated not knowing what to do about the pain. The pain hurt more knowing that I had to suffer through labor knowing my baby would not make it. It was such a traumatic experience. The baby finally came out and was dead. I don't think I could've handled to see him still alive and knowing he would die. While we waited for my placenta to come out, my fever came back with a vengeance and again started to shake uncontrollably from the cold. They immediately brought me to the OR for a D&C. I recovered physically but am still left heartbroken from the loss. I pray for all of you who had to go through this traumatic experience. May all your hearts heal one day. God bless you all.