By Chantelle, Columbia, MD USAI found out that I was excepting my second son after two early miscarriages. As with my first son, I experienced hyperemesis from week 5 to week 20 and was taking anti-emetic medications to help me get proper hydration and gain weight. We found out at 19 weeks that he was a boy, and everything was perfect then. At 21 weeks, I woke up to take my 3 year old to the bathroom in the middle of the night when I felt a small gush of fluid. I freaked out, but my OB said it was likely just vaginal discharge but to come in in th emorning to get checked. The OB found no traces of amniotic fluid and my fluid level was fine. The night leaking, however, continued and increased. I went back for another check at 23 weeks and again, nothing was found and my fluid levels were fine. I was told I was probably peeing myself since it only happened at night.
PROM at 24 weeks + 1 days. Delivery at 30 weeks + 3 days.
Story added: 2008-09-03
At 24 weeks and 1 day, I was standing at the counter cooking for Easter dinner the next day when I fully ruptured. There was no mistaking it - it felt just like when my water broke with my full term son. I did not bother calling my OBs office - I just went to the ER where I was immediately admitted to L&D. Again, the PH test came up negative and only small areas of ferning were seen on my slide, but the house doctor who examined me saw the fluid gushing out and said I was definitely ruptured. An ultrasound showing an AFI of 3 confirmed this. Apparently, sometimes early on in the pregnancy the amniotic fluid will not "trigger" the PH test. I was told I had earned myself a bed in the hospital until I delivered. I was also told that even though I wasn't contracting at all at that time, that I likely would develop an infection or go into labor within the next 72 hours. I received the betamethasone (steroid) shots and grit my teeth with determination to hold this baby in as long as humanly possible. I was given a NICU consult and the news they gave me at that time (24w2d) was grim at best, and only shored up my determination.
I spent the next 6.5 weeks on total bedrest. After the first week, they gave me bathroom privileges (opposed to the bed pan), but I started bleeding a few days later, so they revoked them. I eventually got a bedside commode and a once-a-week shower (I couldn't stand the grease in my hair!!). At 28 weeks, I passed a strang chunk of tissue and no one could quite figure out what it was. But within a few hours, I began to contract. The contractions got closer to closer over the next few days, and at 28w3d, I went into full blown labor, BUT I wasn't dilating! They gave me several bags of IV bolus (saline fluid) and eventually, the contractions slowed down. Thereafter, I was still contracting between every 10 to 30 minutes.
I also began having twice weekly biophysical profiles at this time. At 29 weeks, I failed my first BPP, but my monitoring strips were reassuring, so they decided to repeat the BPP the following day, and I passed. I failed the following two BPPs and it was clear that there was absolutely no fluid left. I was told the morning of Cinco de Mayo that they were going to deliver my son that afternoon at 30w3d. I was so upset, because I had my eyes on the magical 34-week mark! I guess they knew what they were talking about though, because within two hours, I went into very hard labor and was bleeding quite a bit. My son was breach, however, so I had him via c-section.
He came out screaming and kicking - Apgars of 9/9!!! He looked beautiful - perfect! Just a little small. He was 3 lbs 2.4 oz and 14. 5 inches. We thought he was "in the clear" based on his delivery room performance. However, he quickly deteriorated after they took him to the NICU and had to be resucitated and put on a ventilator. He remained on the vent for 8 days and then went to CPAP for about 6 weeks (we tried many times without success to wean him off). He came home 5 days before his due date (a 9 week stay) at 6 lbs 2 oz and 18 inches. We took him home on a nasal cannula with oxygen and an apnea monitor. At 7 weeks adjusted age/17 weeks actual, we weaned him off the oxygen during the day, and we're still waiting for him to come off of it completely. Other than the BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) and problems with anemia, he's done very well! I never discount the miracle we were blessed with by having him make it to 30 weeks.