Loss Of Amniotic Fluid at 20 weeks

[Tashymondo]

So Let me set the scene, it has not been an easy pregnancy but the day of my 20 week Scan was to make up for it. I booked the day off work and it was my sisters 24th birthday which mean that we would all go to dinner after. I couldn?t be happier.

Then we find out that what I thought was just me having an accident Saturday night a family party whilst waiting in the queue for dinner was actually me leaking all of my amniotic fluid. When the nurse taking the scan told me she just said I'm so sorry but it?s all gone. I'm so sorry I don?t know what to say, I can't get a good look at the baby as its not moving. Neither did I know what to say, I just cried how could this be? We were all so happy and now this.

It was explained to me that the baby was at high risk of being underdeveloped especially in the lungs area. There was little to no chance of it surviving and it was made clear to me that my strongest option at this stage was termination.

I did not for a second want that or think that was it. Everyone at the hospital was just full of apologies. What about the good news, where was the silver lining I kept thinking??

I was taken to the labour ward a doctor that I saw only weeks before said she couldn?t understand on the scan I had then everything was fine. She explained the risks to me and the baby and that there was little hope or little that we could do. My partner was in tears, to see him cry just felt like it was over. But I didn?t want it to be over!!! How can I fight this?? I only lost my waters 4 days ago surely there is hope???

I was asked to call my dad how was innocently making his way to the restaurant, he was egar to hear what the sex of his first grandchild was. I told him through tears that there is a problem and you must come to the hospital. My sisters where in bits in the waiting area. I felt awful for weeks the thought of bringing new life into the family kept me going made us all happy and now this.

My dad joined us, again I had the risks and outcomes explained. Then i was poked and jabbed with needles. Come back tomorrow they suggested you have been through enough today.....

That night I felt my baby or Peanut as we affectionately call it and in the morning we felt is heart beating away. Its then I decided that I should fight; I should fight because that is what my Peanut is doing. Through all the risks surely there is some hope. Surely there can be something we can do!!??

At the hospital I was sure to get answers, I found out that as long as I don?t go into labour before week 24 then they will revive my Peanut. A san showed that there were NO abnormalities as yet I am free from infection and today I have felt my wonderful Peanut kick several times. So the fight is on.

I am trying to be positive but I need to know what movements are baby and what feelings I should go to hospital for?? I.e. going into labour. This is my first baby so I have no idea what that would be like.

I am mostly worried that Peanut will try to come out earlier then 24 weeks and the doctors will not help him/her. I'm not ready to lose!! I really am not ready to accept what the doctors are saying neither is my partner nor is our Peanut. Am I crazy??? Any advice any one can give would be great!! xxxx

[VioletV]

Can I just say you sound so brave and I wish you all the best of luck. I don't have any answers for you other than rest and if anything you feel doesn't sit right then get to hospital. When is your EDD? xx

[Bluetinkerbell]

I also don't have answers, but I want to wish you best of luck and all the support you need. I am 18 weeks pregnant, so I can understand at what stage you are! Please hang in there!

[WorzselMummage]

Have a look at this website

I lost all my waters with my ds at 22 weeks and we were told to expect the worst. He was born at 27 weeks and is now 2.5 and fighting fit.

i'll be thinking of you and willing your peanut to stay put.

I cant type much more now, i have a thumping headache but i'll pop back tomorrow. There are lots of us on here who have had a p/prom, some with good outcomes and some sadly with bad. You are not alone and the DRs are not Gods, they cannot tell you what will happen, just what could.. and while they will tell you lots of negatives there are people with healthy living children after a really early pprom so try not to lose hope.

Sarah.

[WorzselMummage]

I'm sorry that kink doesnt work and i dont know why

[WorzselMummage]

Sorry, the servers down apparently.

[http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_66565645322 try this facebook group]]

[WorzselMummage]

fuck.

www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_66565645322

[Jemma1111]

I'm wishing you and Peanut all the luck in the world ! x Stay positive!

[Coppernoddle]

Tashymondo, wishing you and peanut all the best, I really hope things work out for you and your family! Must be a very difficult time for you all right now!! All I can say is that I'm surprised they wouldn't keep you in hospital as you are now open to infection! My only reasoning is because your still very early on! Hang on in there and were all here for you every step of the way! Big cuddles x x x x x

[Tashymondo]

My partner and I thank you for the messages ladies!!! I will look at the link straight away. xxxx

oh and my

My EDD is 14/10/2011

Tash

[Tashymondo]

That link is great by the way WorzselMummage. Thank you xxxx

Thank you all xxx

[midori1999]

Also look at //www.blissmessageboards.org.uk for info on PROM and also on premature babies so you know what to expect.

My waters went at 14 weeks 5 days in a twin pregnancy last year. My outcome wasn't good sadly, my waters had gone too early and although I hung on until 23+5 an undetected infection made me go into labour and although they did try and help my girls, I had been refused steroids and they were just too sick/too early.

Bed rest can help, as can drinking plenty of water, it will help baby keep producing amniotic fluid and laying down can help keep that fluid in as long as possible and hopefully give baby's lungs a chance to develop. Even a small pool of fluid near the face/mouth can be enough. There is hope.

Although your hospital has told you they will not help your baby until 24 weeks, there is every chance they will if you do your research and want them to help your baby before then. Some hospitals now have a 30-45% survival rate for babies born at 23 weeks. Steroids have recently been proven to increase the likelehood of good outcomes, even if given before 24 weeks (I was told they wouldn't help, but now know they might have done). If you ring Bliss they will send you a copy of the Nuffield study, which is the guideline used by neonatologists to decide about resuscitation of premature babies. There can be complications with very premature babies, and you may well have to argue very strongly for help before 24 weeks, (I did) but help is there if you want it. Hopefully though, you'll sail past 24 weeks.

You might find the following links useful:

www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/GTG%207.pdf

www.rcog.org.uk/files/rcog-corp/GTG44PPROM28022011.pdf

[Tashymondo]

Thank you for sharing your story with us midori1999!!! I really admire you for your bravery and willingness to help others!! I will look at those links staright away!!

Many thanks

Tash

[Renaissance227]

I'm nearly in tears reading your story because at 20 weeks +2 with my first I can imagine exactly how you are feeling.
Fight, fight, fight all the way. I'm willing your baby to stay put. So glad you didn't just give in to what the doctors were saying.
Take good care of yourself and rest as much as you can.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you and hoping everything ends well. xxx

[thegingerone]

Just wanted to say how brave you are and I'm sending all my positive thoughts to you,your OH and your very determined Peanut.

[Tashymondo]

Thank you for all the advice and support everyone. last night and today there has been blood present in the fluid I have leaked. Every time I have gone to the toilet I have leaked a watery red fluid. I rang the the hospital and my midwife yesterday who said the bleeding would be normal as long as i was not in pain, which I'm not. The appearance of the blood has worried me is this normal? I am in hospital tomorrow for one of my twice weekly checks. I just feel a bit hopeless to be honest! Still trying to be positive though! XxX

[midori1999]

I had some light bleeding at arnd 18 weeks. The minute I saw it I panicked and though that was it, but it stopped.

Lots of women I know of who have had pPROM have also had bleeding. One of the possible causes of pPROM is a clot, so not sure if that is why?

You could ask for a scan if you are worried to see if they can see where the bleeding is coming from? They should dcan you often anyway.

Good luck for your appointment tomorrow.

[MrsRhettButler]

I'm sorry I have no advice or experience but I just wanted to wish you all the best and I hope your little peanut can continue fighting! You sound so strong, don't give up x

[imip]

I'm very sorry Tashymondo. I do know exactly what you are going through. I lost my amniotic fluid at 21 weeks, was told foolishly by my gp that it was far too soon for that to happen and it was not confirmed til a week later. I stayed pregnant until 25+4. For me (and my daughter) the outcome was devastating. She died as a result of a cord prolapse - we never got the chance to see if she would of survived. The info you have above is good. Pls be vigilant about infection, take your tempreture regularly. Be aware also of the risk of cord prolapse. No one had mentioned this to me at all. Ask your drs all about this. We received good support all things considered and I spent most of the time in hospital, Consider bed rest. No sex/baths etc, it may sound extreme, but consider wahing you knickers in boiling water, anything to reduce the risk of infection. I thought I was free of infection but ended up having choriamniosis (spelling??). I'm sorry to post a sad story about this, but I wish I had known more information when I was pregnant with my daughter. She was my first and we'd battled infertility to conceive her. I'm not the praying kind, but I'll be praying for you xxxx

[Tashymondo]

Thank you for the kind words and hopefull messages ladies. Today I impressed the doctor with all the knowledge that I have learnt about PROM. I went armed with questions and counter facts even suprised my partner. She has booked me an appointment with the Paediatrician for my 23 week and is going to book me in for steroid injection at 24 weeks! I also heard my babies heart beat, what a beautiful sound! Considering there is no fluid it is very strong! I am very confident and happy today! Couldn't have felt that way without support and advise from you ladies so thank you again! Just laying in bed and for the last wonderful hour I enjoyed feeling my peanut move around continuously. What a lovely feeling. Very happy now!!

[midori1999]

I'm glad your appointment went well. Might be a silly question, but have they had you on antibiotics? How have they suggested management? Have they given you TED stockings or anything if you are going for the bedrest? (I ask as I developed bi lateral pulmonary emboli after 7 weeks of bedrest) Sorry for all the questions...

Have you considered asking for steroid prior to 24 weeks? Is that something you would want? As I said, I was told that they were of no benefit prior to 24 weeks, but the latest research shows that isn't the case and certainly for every surviving 23 weeker I know, the Mum had had steroids prior to the birth.

Keep going!

[Tashymondo]

hey midori1999,
They will put me on anti biotics at week 23 which is in nearly 2 weeks. From there I will meet with a Paediatrician and discuss further options and outcomes, week 24 I will have steroid injections but not before. I have not been offered TED stockings and I actually have never heard of them before, do you use them currently??


xxx

[midori1999]

Are you aware that guidelines are and studies show that the most successful outcomes with pPROM are where antibiotics (erythromycin is the suggested one, 4 x a day) are given for ten days from the rupture of membranes, or ten days from the discovery of the rupture? Did they explain this to you? Infection is the biggest risk to you and your baby now, so it's vital to do everything possible to prevent it. The RCOG link I posted has all the guidelines for how to deal with pPROM and how to monitor for infection etc. Minor infections can be treated, but if you get choriamnionitis (an infection in the bag of waters) the only treatment is delivery.

I hadn't heard of TED stockings until I was in hospital either. They help prevent DVT's if you are on bed rest or hospitalised for any reason. They can show you how to do leg exercises too to help keep up circulation.

Re: the steroids. I was repeatedly refused steroids before 24 weeks. I was told they wouldn't help. However, the new guideline issued in Oct. 2010 (my twins were born in April) suggests they do help improve survivial rates in babies born prior to 24 weeks. I didn't want to go into 'my story' too much because the outcome wasn't good and I don't want to make you worry, but my twins were born at 23+5 weeks. I had known since the start that if there was any chance for them I wanted to take it and despite my hospital having a strict 'no help for babies nbefore 24 weeks' policy, I got every bit of info I could and argued my point with the neonatologist during labour. They agreed to help my girls and although the twin with the ruptured membrane, Megan, was too sick to survive long, the second twin, Imogen, did well at birth and they got her into NICU. She lived and fought for 9 days and was actually doing very well until she got a bleed in her lung. Steroids might well have prevented this. I don't know for sure, but had I had the steroids, my baby girl might be here now. Plus, they don't only help the lungs but they help prevent bleeds on the brain, which are one of the things that can cause some of the disabilities later on in very premature babies. They give very poor outcomes for babies before 24 weeks, but my friend's 23 weeker (23+2)) is 5 years old and doing great, with some fairly minor learning difficulties. She had steroids a week before she gave birth when her waters broke.

I hope you don't think I am being overbearing by keeping posting, if I am then please feel free to tell me to sod off. However, hindsight is a great thing and I had been so sure I would go past 24 weeks I will alway sfeel I didn't argue enough for steroids that could have made all the difference.

[Renaissance227]

I've still got my fingers crossed for you. (Plus just wanted to bump your post to the top again so it doesn't get lost!)
Glad you're feeling more positive and still feeling peanut move! xx

[Coppernoddle]

I'm still here too! :) I have everything crossed for you and little peanut! Wishing you and your family all the best, and every day that passes is another day stronger for your little one! Keep going, don't give up x x big hugs x x

[Owlingate]

Hi so sorry to hear this. My waters broke at 18 weeks and I went in to labour a week later after I got a serious infection (chorioamnionitis I think it was called). Unfortunately I was not scanned or given antibiotics. A clot caused the ruptured membranes. My waters turned pink straight away and I continued to bleed on and off throughout the week.

Please ask for antibiotics - you should at least have them to protect you from infection. I find they are very willing to write the baby off but at least will try to help you.

Your best chance is if the waters reseal / replenish themselves - this can happen. The best time for waters to go is 22 weeks plus because a key stage of lung development will have taken place by then. Having said that my baby's post-mortem found that process was already under way at 18 weeks, so there is a chance.

Make sure you are doing everything you need to do to feel you have given your baby the best chance - whether that is badgering the doctors or staying in bed.

Ask them for antibiotics for you - ask them to measure your CRP count. Ask them for steroids. Ask them what level the neonatal unit is in your hospital - you need a high one in case your baby is very early.