By Emily, Olney, Illinois Richland
PROM at 19 weeks + 1 days. Delivery at 21 weeks + 4 days.
Story added: 2003-12-12

My story began after having had 2 Blighted Ovums and one Miscarriage. We learned after our last loss that I had an Autoimmune Disease. I had elevated Killer Cells which attacked the fetus's. My doctor didn't seem to know much about this but, had read that the course of treatment was to suppress the immune system by having treatments called IVIG (Intravenous Immunoglobulin) and he also advised we use Heparin next time around with Baby Aspirin. I became pregnant in January of 2003 and after years of losses we were so..excited. I bled from week 5- 12 and so we didn't have our hopes up till we got in our second trimester. I also had my treatments every 4 weeks on the dot. After week 12 the bleeding stopped and all was going wonderful. At week 15 we learned that this wonderful miracle was going to be a "Girl" we named her "Ella Marie". Ella was growing nicely and had all her fingers and toes and was a week ahead in growth too. We new it was going to happen for us; we knew we would be holding our baby in the end. Then one Saturday morning at week 19 I awoke and sat up to go to the bathroom when I realized it was dripping down my legg. It wasn't alot but, it wasn't normal either. I went to the ER just to play it safe. The admitted me and said they had to check to make sure it wasn't the fluid. The performed the slide test where they put the fluid under the scope and if it looks like a fern then that means it is fluid. They couldn't tell with me and had to do a Amnio. They injected a blue dye and put a tampon in for a few minutes and had me walk around the room. If the tampon showed blue then it meant it was fluid. It showed blue and we knew it wasn't good. They checked my fluid levels and it showed it being at a normal level so, they let me go home on bedrest only. I went to see my doctor the following week and had my routine ultrasound. That day we realized I had lost most of my fluid and it was at a dangerous level. We were told to come back in 2 days to see their Perinatologist. We did and she did her scan of the baby and found out that "Ella" was in very little fluid and with that being said she gave us the speech. The one that prepares you for the worst. She did tell me if we could make it to 25 weeks "Ella" would have a good chance at living. On the way to the bathroom days later one morning the umbilical cord was protruding. This was at week 21 1/2. Ella didn't have a chance. She was born that day in the breech position and had been stillborn. She weighed 1 lb. 4 ounces and was 11 inches long. She was perfect in everyway. She had hair, long nails and big feet, long arms, long leggs. I'm telling this story because I found out a few months later that this Autoimmune Disease was the culprit and I learned how to overcome this disease since. There is this doctor by the name of Alan E. Beer who is in California and in London. He ran tests on me and found that I wasn't being monitored enough. I have to control these Killer Cells before I get pregnant or they can have the leading edge and attack the placenta and embryo before they even develop. I have a IVIG treatment and then he checks them 7-10 after each treatment to see how they are doing. He believes in helping us women who go through these kind of problems. He believes in checking fetal blood flow and the maternal blood flow to the placenta. He believes in taking the baby at 37 weeks. He closely montiors us and co- magages with our OB long distance. He is the best doctor we've found and I think it helps me to share this information with all of you. It's important to check your Natural Killer Cells. This test is called a Natural Killer Cell Assay. It can be done at alot of hospitals or can be done at bigger ones. Your doctor can order this test if he or she really wants too. There is a list of tests that most doctors don't even look for. We don't even know why they won't. Some say oooo it's just a fluke; just try again. Don't because after each loss your Killer Cells begin to form an Army and start producing toxic killer cells that can live in our Uterus and deam every pregnancy after. You can check Dr. Beers website which gives a list of Recommended testing and all the more informational stuff pertaining to your need. Please find out why you are having these problems before it happens again. We are now ready to try one more time and have just got my Killer Cells down to normal. I am on cycle day 14 today and will be pregnant again before you know it. I wish you all luck!!!