By Andrea, San Dimas, CA US
PROM at 20 weeks + 3 days. Delivery at 28 weeks + 4 days.
Story added: 2004-06-13

I was pregnant with twins and lost one at 13 weeks. I had continual spotting from that time until at 20 1/2 weeks I experienced PPROM. My amniotic fluid index was 3 on admit, and averaged 1 for the remainder of my hospitalization. ER Doctors advised me to go home and miscarry (I had two children already, one which was born after PROM at 35weeks) and they felt since I don't have fertility problems I should just try again.When I was hospitalized I was told a lot of horrible things about how my son would not survive and if he did he would have major disabilities. My OB was the only supportive Dr, the nurses were also supportive. All of the other "experts" where negative and gave me the impression that I was wasting their time. My OB had kept me hospitalized to watch for infection and I ended up going 8 more weeks before my son was born. I was in the trendelenburg position for the first 4 weeks, then flat on my back for the next four weeks. At 28 weeks the doctor allowed me to raise my head above my body for a few minutes a day, and a few days later the umbilical cord prolapsed.My son's heartrate dropped to 10 bpm, and I was rushed into a emergency c-section. My son ws born 12 minutes after I discovered the prolapsed cord. He spent 93 days in the NICU, has had significant health and developental issues, but is relatively happy and healthy today (he's almost 3).