By Beth, Maine USA
PROM at 19 weeks + 1 days. Delivery at 20 weeks + 2 days.
Story added: 2004-06-04

I have been with my partner for 18 years. After 12 years of using the same birth control method we were very surprised to find out we were pregnant. After the initial shock wore off, we were very excited about becoming a family. I experienced spotting for the first trimester, but was checked, and told by my doctor that everything seemed to be okay. Other than that I was having a very easy pregnancy with very little morning sickness, and a little fatigue. We heard the heart beat, and it was strong. Because of my age (almost 36 at the time) I had the triple screen test done. It came back with there being a risk of spina bifida, so we went for a level II ultrasound at 18 weeks (Tuesday). They could find no defects, and said every thing looked great. Oh yeah, and we were having a boy. My partner was so excited. The following Monday I woke up with wet underpants. I was very scared, but thought it might be urine, so I waited 2 hours to call my doctor instead of rushing to the ER. The whole time I felt a watery discharge. My doctor fit me right in, and did an exam, and said that I had bv, and that that was what was causing the watery discharge, and prescribed antibiotics. She warned that I might bleed a little bit because of the exam. I went home relieved that this was just an infection. I bled a little that day and the next, but then it stopped. Thursday evening I felt more discharge, and when I went to check, it was bright red blood. I called my dr. immediately, and was told to go to the hospital and the partner on call would meet me on the L & D floor. Once there, I was taken in immediately, and given an ultrasound. There was no amniotic fluid. The dr. was pretty sure the discharge I had felt was my water breaking. He gave me the grim prognosis, but wanted me to go see a specialist where I had had my level II us the week before. The next morning we drove once again the 2 hours to the specialist. Another us showed no fluid, but little boy was doing great. We were told that the prognosis for our little boy was dismal, and induction was recommended. Having not found this site yet, I thought they knew what they were talking about, tearfully, we agreed to induction and termination. They scheduled us for the following Monday. At first we were so angry that they were going to make us wait the whole weekend. We drove the 2 hours home, and settled in to wait, taking my temp every 4 hours, and crying. Saturday night while we were trying to get some sleep, my partner had his had in just the right place, and felt our son kick for the first time. He got to feel several more kicks over the weekend. By Sunday morning we were thankful that we had been given the weekend to bond with our son, name him (Adam) and start to come to grips with what was happening. On Monday morning we loaded back in the car, and once drove the 2 hours to the big hospital. I was admitted, and settled in to a private room on the L & D ward. At 2 they started the induction, and at 6:12pm I gave birth to our Adam. I had been told to expect the induction to take at least 16 hours, so I was very relieved that it only took 4. Adam was so young they would do nothing to try to keep him alive, so after he was cleaned up, we were given him to hold and say goodbye to. He lived for 3 hours, which everybody found miraculous. He was perfect, just so small (9 ½ inches, 11 ounces). Now I am waiting to find out if they can come up with a reason for my pprom. Did I really have bv?? I wish I had found this site before I went to have induction. I might have waited. I made it 1 week with out going into labor, and I was already on antibiotics. We so want a baby now. We know no one will replace Adam, but once we got used to the idea we were going to be parents, we decided this was what we really wanted. I know everyone says to wait, but I’m 36, and I don’t want to wait too long. I know I will be terrified the whole pregnancy, and don’t want to have the added worry of age related complications that are already increasing.