By Gaz, UK
PROM at 22 weeksDelivery at 37 weeks + 5 days.
Story added: 2009-04-06

I was driving to a work meeting when I got a call from my partner: we had just been for a routine scan and she had been asked to stay behind because the "the amniotic fluid was a bit low". I didn't know the significance of this and so I went on to the next thing to do.

The doctor who examined her - a trainee Consultant - diagnosed prom. There had been bleeding regularly from week 12.

We were told that membranes had ruptured.

It was a terrible phone call to take. Awful. I got to the hospital to find my partner crying. The doctor spoke to me on the phone and explained that there were "options". He said it was not good news and that the appearance of liquor was pretty fool proof in terms of diagnosing prom.

She was offered medication to end the pregnancy on the day prom was diagniosed - we were told that some people find it easier and that whilst miracles do happen occasionally it would take a miracle for the pregnancy to last until 28 weeks.

She didn't want to end the pregnancy and wanted to make it last. She went home and rested - she took it very easy in terms of physical work but other than spending some time in bed she did walk around. She wasn't able to work and took time off work (we were lucky enough that I was getting enough money).

Bleeding continued during the pregnancy not every day but probably every 3 weeks or so. She had more scans forttnightly.

Steroids were given at 28 weeks during an in patient admission following bleeding.

At 37 weeks a scan resulted in the doctor diagnosing growth restriction and scheduling a c section 3 days later. He found reduced fluid on the scan below the baby and more fluid above the baby. He explained that this suggested that there had been rupture of membranes and that in any case there were enough risk factors to indicate a c section.

3 days later the c section took place.

The baby was delivered (footling breech). The c section was complicated due to tearing and a senior surgeon needed to be called. It was the same doctor who diagnosed the prom. He didn't recognise my partner until he read the notes and saw his own handwriting in the notes.

The baby's weight was 2600g at birth (just above low birth weith cut off). He strggled to rise above below 0.4 percentile for his milk period but when he started on solids he did start to put on weight but only significantly when he started eating bread/wholemeal toast at 8 months.

He's now doing well and is 10 months old tomorrow.