By Teresa Russell, Dayton, OH USAfter three IUI attempts, my husband and I were excited to learn we were pregnant. I spent the first 3 months worried about possible pregnany difficulties and never dreamed PROM would affect us after we hit our 6 month mark.
PROM at 24 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 31 weeks + 4 days.
Story added: 2006-04-13
At 24 weeks +4, I started bleeding. Exams showed that my cervixs were closed, but my amnio fluid was decreased (to 9 cm). I was sent home on bedrest and told that I may have had a placental abruption that was so small it was undetectable via ultrasound. The next day I started bleeding so intensely I was admitted to a level 1 hopsital where I stayed the next 7 weeks. After the 1st weekend, I was diagnosed with pProm - my fluid level had dropped to 1cm and would eventualy fluctuate between zero and 3.8. I spent hours reading PROM stories and trying to understand what to expect. My nurses were amazed I never came down with infection and fetal heartstrips always looked great. I had ultrasounds twice weekly and would anticipate days when weights and measures would be estimated.
There definitely were days when I thought I couldn't handle the emotional and physical stress. But when we were told that we would be induced at 34 weeks, I felt confident. I had been given two steroid shots at 25 weeks and was assured at 34 weeks, the baby would be big enough to regulate body temperature and take a bottle. Then at 31+4, the baby failed a biophysical and my labor was indcued. Since I was not dialating, I was taken for c-section early morning of March 17, 2006.
Minutes into the procedure, I could hear a muffled cry - my husband could see our baby girl and said she was kicking and trying her best to scream. Her scores were 6 after 1 minute and 8 after 5 minutes. My husband was taken to her in rescitation minutes later. She was 3 pounds 9 ounces and 17 1/2 inches long. She was put on a vent for one night and then a CPAP the second night. By day three, she was on her own in room air. She spent one week in the main NICU and then moved to a NICU special care nursery. Her nurses were wonderful and she progressed more each day. There were episodes where she took very shallow breaths and experienced reflux that obstructed her breathing. Doctors assured me that as she matured she would grow out of these problems.
Our daughter Taylor was sent home after only 24 days (just at 35 weeks gestation). She weighed 4 1/2 pounds, bottle fed like a champ, and did not need home monitoring or other devices to assist her. She is our miracle baby and we look forward to seeing her grow more and more each day.
My advice to anyone experiencing PROM is listen to your doctors, ask questions, and educate yourself on every possible aspect. My husband and I toured the NICU prior to our daughter's birth and were able to have a better understanding of what to expect. Have faith and If anyone has questions or needs support, please email me anytime.