By Melissa Sutherland, Houston, TX USA
PROM at 26 weeks + 2 days. Delivery at 29 weeks + 6 days.
Story added: 2006-11-18

Now that my twin boys are 9 months old & a healthy 20lbs each, I can finally share my story...

When my doctor told my husband & I that we were having twins, we very extremely surprised. (Our twins are natural -no IVF- & we do not have a family history of twins.) She went on to say that they would probably be delivered early - somewhere between 36 to 38 weeks, if all went well. My husband and I both were extremely optimistic about me being able to carry the babies for the entire term. (I had to be induced at 42 weeks with my 1st son.)

Well to make a long story short, one of the amniotic sacs ruptured in the middle of the night at 26 weeks. My husband & I did not know what to expect as we drove to the hospital. They took us directly to labor & delivery. I was given steriods & antibiotics. Luckily, I did not go into labor & remained at the hospital on bed rest until my boys were delivered by emergency c-section @ 29weeks/6days.

My boys were 2lb15oz & 3lb5oz (the twin with the ruptured sac was the smaller of the two). Both boys were placed on the ventilators immediately. The larger twin was able to move quickly from ventilator to CPAP & then home after 2 months.

The smaller twin had more difficulty... On the 1st night, the neonatologist on staff called me at 2am to let me know that my son was very sick & they were trying a few last options to help him. When I arrived at the NICU ~15 minutes later, they explained that he had "persistent pulmonary hypertension". After an unsuccessful attempt to oxygenate with varies ventilators, he was placed on nitric oxide (NOX), paralyzed & sedated. He was switched to ventilated oxygen 4 days later & then switched to NCPAP 2 days later. For the next month, he went back & forth from NCPAP to nasal cannula. He was finally able to maintain his oxygen level with nasal cannula & remained on nasal cannula for another 6 weeks. After a total of 3 months in NICU, I finally had both twins at home.

We came home with oxygen (for feedings), apnea monitor & ~5 different medications. After numerous check-up visits & alot of prayers, both boys are perfectly healthy. They are delayed developmentally, consistent with most premies, but they show no signs of developmental problems & continue to grow stronger each day.