By Patti, Grand Rapids USAI had a normal first pregnancy up until 18wks,4d when I stepped out of my husband's truck and felt a gush of fluid. I thought I had peed my pants! I told my OB and she said not to worry about as I (at the time) had a good AFI.
PROM at 18 weeks + 4 days. Delivery at 26 weeks + 5 days.
Story added: 2009-06-24
At my 20wk US, however, my AFI=0. I was admitted to a perinatologist who worked me up for PPROM and I had negative ferning tests (a positive ferning test reveals amniotic fluid IS leaking), so they sent me home on bedrest because my pregnancy was not "viable" until I hit 24wks.
At 21wks,5d, I awoke in the middle of the night to pee and noticed that my underwear were soaked with bright red blood. I immediately called 911 and my husband, who was at work. They rushed me to our nearest tertiary center and I was told that at least half of my placenta had detatched (placental abruption). My contractions did, however, stop during the next day and myself and the baby stabilized. I never received an amnioinfusion, or antibiotics. (Although looking back now, I don't know why. I didn't know enough then to ask either.)
So I remained in the hospital with a consistent AFI<1 every week. I delivered at 26wks, 5d after the remaining portion of attatched placenta gave way and I had a complete abruption and lost massive amounts of blood.
I gave birth to a 2lb, 2oz baby girl, Lilly, who was very sick. She required the oscillator ventilator, which was maxed out on it's settings and the top dose of inhaled nitric oxide as a last ditch effort to save her. She had a left sided pneumothorax (collapsed lung), persistent pulm. HTN, poor kidney function, bilateral intraventricular hemmorrhages (grade4), PDA, ROP (grade3), a scare of NEC, BPD, and more I can't remember. She remained ventilated for 1 week, wore CPAP for 6 more weeks, and nasal cannula O2 for 5 months. Being a nurse made it a little easier to navigate NICU, but it is a culture shock for sure!
She is now almost 4 and is a spunky, loving, brat! She wears glasses for a flotie eye, but has no other eye problems (the ROP resolved on its own). She is down to one medication, Singulair, and the pediatric pulmonologist believes that she will outgrow her lung disease. She otherwise has no social, speech, gross or fine motor delays. She is petite, but still tall for her age (My hubby is 6'4"). She by all means looks like any "normal" 3 year old girl...
But if you look closely you'll see the scar and indentation under her left arm where her chest tube was, the scars up and down her legs where they attempted to put a PICC line in.. She is my miracle baby, yes, she hates it, but I still call her my baby.
If you are scared and in a similar situation, just stay positive and take it day by day. It is VERY easy to become sad and overwhelmed.
I am currently 9wks pregnant with my second and scared as well. The perinatologist is already talking about placing a cerclage even though I had no apparent cervical problems with my previous pregnancy. I'll take it day by day..
Contact me if you would like to.