By Viktoria Jovanovic-krstic, Toronoto, Ontario Canada
. Delivery at 41 weeks.
Story added: 2007-12-09

In 2000, I gave birth to a 24 weeker; 525 grams. She spent 16 weeks in hospital and today is a very happy, healthy, active, tall, smart, beautiful soon to be eight year old girl.

On Sept. 29, 2006, I gave birth to my son, 4400 grams, 41 weeks gestation.

I am telling my story because this web cite gave me such courage to go ahead and have my son -- something In never thought I would do after the traumatic birth of my daughter.

Alas, I would also like to share what I did to promote the very healthy birth of my son in the event that someone reads this and takes heart.

On the advice of my doctor and based on a number of clinical trials going on in the country, in the U.S. and throughout Europe at the time, I did the following:

Each day I took two cranberry max vitamines; I also took two asidopholus caplets of at least 5,000,000 strain each. I took a multi-vitamin and drank eight glasses of water. Each day I rubbed progesterone cream on my belly and did this until my due date. I used the progesterone cream twice daily, about 1 teaspoon each time.

I also took a low dosage aspirine 81 mg until I was 38 weeks pregnant.

Whenever I slept, I lay on my left side; I did no heavy lifting, and did not engage in sexual intercourse for the entire duration of my pregnancy.

My daughter was born due to P.R.O.M.

I have not been given any answers, but spent a great deal of time and effort trying to get some.

The acidopholus and cranberry max were used to ward off any infections. The progesterone to maintain my mucous plug at a great level.

My son is now 14 months old; he is active, healthy and beautiful.

I encourage all women who have had a P.R.O.M. birth to be proactive. Speak to your doctors, have monthly and or weekly check-ups -- whatever makes you feel better: mine were bi-weekly until 37 weeks and then weekly thereafter. At each check-up I had them monitor my mucous plug and check for its thickness. This empowered me.

Good luck and God bless.