By Gina, Baltimore, Maryland USA
PROM at 16 weeks + 1 days. Delivery at 16 weeks + 1 days.
Story added: 2005-03-02

Here is my second story of PROM:
On what would have been my first baby's due date, we got the official word that I was definitely pregnant again. Just five months after losing my first baby. We thought this was a true gift from God. Everything was going just fine. At about 13 wks. I woke up one morning with some back pain, and feeling some abdominal pressure. I stayed home from work that day and went to the Dr. I was assured everything was fine. I had a sonogram, I was examined. There was nothing wrong, I took a few days off and the pain and pressure stopped.
Three weeks later, I had jury duty. While I was there I had a few pains. I just happened to be reading a pregnancy book at the time, it warned that starting around the 15th week you might start having Braxton Hicks contractions. I thought maybe that's what was happening. Later in the afternoon, while cooking dinner, I had a pain that doubled me over. I went to the bathroom and (sorry TMI)I passed a big glob of mucus. I immeadiately called the Dr.s office. They had me come in right away. We were in the middle of a snowstorm and my husband was about an hour and a half away. I got to the Dr.'s office I was examined and had a sonogram, and assured that everything was ok. I was told to call back if I had any bleeding, or if my water broke. I went home, but, I still had a few pains. I read in my pregnancy books that if you had more than 6 pains within an hour to call your Dr. I never had that many, mine didn't seem to have any pattern. I had pains all day the following day. The day after that I was at work and my water broke. I knew what was happening, I just couldn't believe it. My co -workers called an ambulance and called my husband. I was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Again, I was given the bad news, Iwas induced and this baby was born within four hours of the induction.(my first baby took all day, all night and into the next morning) We had a little boy (we were sure this time). He was beautiful and he looked perfect. We took pictures, had a pastor come in and bless him. We talked to him and cried.
I was sent home later that night, again without a baby. It's hard to make sense of this especially a second time. I was going crazy wondering why. My Dr. called me two weeks later to tell me that our little boy James, had Down's Syndrome. I didn't think my heart could break anymore, but, it did.
I'm currently undergoing testing to try and find a reason. I have just found out that my mother in law's two sisters each have kids who have concieved children with Down's. One terminated the pregnancy and went on to have two more healthy children and the other is due any day. I don't know much about Down's Syndrome, I don't know if it's hereditary or not. I still have so many questions. Most of all I miss my babies so much. My heart aches so badly. Does this nightmare ever end?

Gina