By Alice, Australia
PROM at 22 weeks + 6 days. Delivery at 26 weeks + 1 days.
Story added: 2010-09-13

I noticed a watery discharge during week 22 of my twin pregnancy. I went to my doctor who examined my cervix and discovered it was totally open with 'bulging membranes'. I was sent straight to hospital on strict bed- rest.

Subsequent ultrasound found that when my bladder was full the cervix seemed to re-close. On this basis they decided there was a chance (small and risky chance) that they could put in a cervical suture. I agreed to the operation but unfortunately it resulted in my daughter's amniotic sac bursting. My son still had an intact sac. I was told I was likely to go into labour within the next 48 hours and that my twins were not 'viable'. This was a terrible time, I thought that my daughter would die without amniotic fluid - nobody told me they could survive many weeks without it. Lying and waiting to lose my much wanted babies was truly awful.

However, nothing happened and I went to see a specialist who explained that the twins would not be viable until 24 weeks. Only just a week away but nobody seemed very hopeful that I would make it. The doctor wanted to send me home but very luckily a bed came available in a large hospital with a NICU. Here the nurses had seen other P-PROM cases where women had lasted many weeks so I started to muster some hope.

The day that I reached 24 weeks and they gave me a steroid injection (for lung development) was an amazing day but the doctors were still explaining that the twins might not survive or could have severe disabilities.

In the end I went into labour at 26 weeks and one day due to an infection of the membranes. My daughter spent 3 months in the NICU, was on a ventilator, then CPAP and had laser surgery on her eyes. She has some high muscle tone in her legs but only mild. My son spent 6 months in the NICU - ventilator, many months of CPAP and oxygen for another 3 months at home. He still needs to have heart surgery to close a small PDA and has mild calcification of the kidneys.

Most importantly, the twins are now two-and-a-half and normal active toddlers in every way - joyful little miracles. Development has been somewhat delayed but otherwise fine.

For anyone reading this on bed-rest as I was, I wish for the best outcome possible, stay strong x