By Lisa, Albuquerque, NM United StatesI had on and off cramping for several weeks in my twin pregnancy. I was not concerned because my doctor had told me to expect cramping as a result of the scar tissue we knew I had from a previous C-section. I had spent several days in bed from a bad cold, was feeling better, and was expecting to go into work the next day. I woke up at about 3:00 am with enough cramping that I decided to take some medicine. On the way to the bathroom, I felt a trickle, but thought that it was urine. I went to the restroom and took some medicine and returned to bed, all by the dim lumination of a nightlight. A couple minutes later, as I was about to doze off, I felt more liquid coming out, and it felt like it was not urine. I put on glasses, turned on the light and went into the restroom. I found that a trickle of pinkish-clear fluid was coming out. We called the OB's office who said that sounded like amniotic fluid, which was bad, but that they wouldn't be able to tell much until the ultrasound person arrived in the morning. I decided to go ahead and go to the ER to wait.
PROM at 14 weeks + 1 days. Delivery at 32 weeks.
Story added: 2003-05-26
The OB determined for sure that it was amniotic fluid with some blood in it. She admitted me to the hospital and told me that I would probably either miscarry on that day or that I would show signs of an infection and they would need to do a D&C.
When we did the ultrasound, though, both babies were not only alive, but were swimming in plenty of fluid. Both the on-call OB and my regular OB were still very pessimistic about our chances, though. They saw signs of an abruption that was making the fluid pink, as well.
I was taken to a hospital room, where I tried to sleep while my roommate watched Jerry Springer. I found that if I layed on my right side, I seemed to cramp and, subsequently, leak less. So I stayed on my right.
A few hours later, I went for another ultrasound by a perinatologist. He saw very few signs of a problem, and said he would not have diagnosed the rupture or the abruption without the other evidence.
I made it through that day, slowly leaking and bleeding less as the day and night wore on. The next day I went home for bed rest. I continued to leak and bleed less, until there was no sign of either one a few days later. But, a week and a half after the initial rupture, my OB found evidence that I was still leaking, both chemically and by the ferning test even though another ultrasound looked great. Around this time, I found and joined the PROM list.
After another week on bed rest, I went to the perinatologist, who determined that I was no longer leaking. After this, most of the perinatologists (not the one who had done the ultrasound in the hospital) did not believe the diagnosis of the rupture because all of my ultrasounds looked so normal. This peri told me to return to work.
I tried to go back to work 1/2 time for a few days, but started spotting (and sometimes flowing) old blood. After checking it out with ultrasounds and even ferning tests, my OB said that I could work, but supported me when I said that I thought I shouldn't. I put myself on "rest" -- stayed off my feet, no lifting, only one flight of stairs a day, low stress.
A few weeks later, another perinatologist diagnosed me with placenta previa, and said that amniotic fluid couldn't have come out because of it. Regardless, this peri was glad I hadn't been working.
At my next appt, I continued to be free of all signs of rupture and abruption, and no longer had placenta previa. I was at 24 weeks with twins, though, so they wanted me to stay on "rest."
After my next appt, I started on weekly monitoring of the twins. Shortly thereafter, I got really itchy and ended up with Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy. Luckily, after some educating of my OB, I received the right treatment and was surviving it.
Then, at 1 hour, 5 minutes into my 32nd week (1:05 am), I felt another trickle. This time, I turned on the bathroom light immediately and found that was trickling clear fluid. The OB said to "come on down" to the hospital, which I did after writing a short note to the PROM list.
After making sure that I had indeed ruptured, they put me in a labor and delivery room and, after a few hours, gave me a steroid shot. I was going to get another one after 24 hours and deliver via C-section after another 24 hours. BUT, I started getting contractions, and they became more frequent and more painful. The OB thought I was in real labor, and, indeed, I was 3 cm dialated.
So, I gave birth via C-section at 10:15 and 10:17 am that morning. Both twins had quite high APGARs. They were 3lbs, 4 oz and 3lbs, 11 oz. The boy, who had to have his water broken, and the heavier of the two, had to be put on a CPAP, but the girl was on room air from the beginning. After 3 1/2 and 4 weeks in the NICU, mostly for feeding problems from being premature, they came home with no remaining health issues.
I feel incredibly lucky to be able to tell this story and, hopefullly, give hope to others. And I feel that the PROM List was incredibly helpful getting me through all the complications and issues with this pregnancy. What a wonderful bunch of people!
-Lisa