Whats the chances of having a premature baby second time round?

[lovelybubbly]

i had my son at 26weeks after going into prem labour. although, not quite sure what caused it. he is now 6 years old, but suffered many complications, due to his birth & a bleed on the brain, he has cerebral palsy & is wheelchair bound.
i am now pregnant again & am 25 weeks gone, so as you can imagine, i'm quite worried about having this one prematurely also.
doctors have been keeping a close eye on me this time round, having extra scans, tests, steroid injections etc.
just wondered if anyone knows if having a premature baby increases the risk of having another one, or whether i could go full term without any complications? has anyone else had a similar experience? & what was your outcome?

[ScaryLoujalou]

It depends on the reason I don't know why my DS was born at 34 weeks but a friend of mine had a urine infection at 28 weeks and that caused premature labour. I know of someone else who had the same thing. If that is the case as long as the urine / kidney infection is treated properly there is little chance of it happening again.

Not sure if this helps.

[lovelybubbly]

we think my prem labour was brought on by stress during pregnancy. just not sure if you've already had a baby prematurely first time round that, it may weaken the cervix or something & make you always have premature babies, or whether other people have gone on to have full term pregnancies after their first prem baby?

[clairesparkle]

Bump!

I've just posted almost exactly the same question somewhere else. My DS was born at 33+6 after my waters broke at 33wks for as far as they could tell, no reason. Would quite like a term baby next time, just wondering what other people's experiences have been.

[chucklesjen]

I had my first daughter at 28 weeks and we are very lucky that she is now 18 mths and showing no signs of delay in any areas. We have just found out we are 5 weeks pregant. Last time my placenta abrupted for no reason so we too are anxious of this recurring.

My Ob told me that if you've had a previous prem birth you are 30% more likely to go prem again and often it is around the same gestation. However, you need to remember that the 30% is based on all prem births, including those people who are guaranteed to go early due to medical reasons. So, I comfort myself with the "happening for no reason" the first time and assume my odds are better!

Good luck, keep us posted.

Jen.

[tvfriend]

Mine weren't that early but DD was born at 36 weeks and DS at 34+4. No apparent reason. Contemplating the idea of No 3 but worried that may get earlier and earlier...
I was told there was a 10% chance of a second early birth.

[Arsed]

It depends on the reason why the first was premature, I was quoted 20% 2nd babies are prem too.

Both of mine were early, 32 and 27 weeks the 2nd largly due to bad management in pregnancy.

Bliss message board is good, there are lots of mums over there who've gone to term after a prem.

[Jenbot]

I was told 30% risk, and it is most likely to be at the same time if it does happen again.

Good luck!

[Sue63]

It really does depend on the reason behind the premature bith, I myslfr had two prem births and one full term. Both the premature birth of my girls was down to two different reasons.

Good luck for the future.

[Catrinm]

I had a baby boys six years ago at 30 weeks. He's a bright clever little lad with absolutely no effects ( except perhaps weak teeth.

My second son was born at 33 weeks and is a healthy 2 year old.

Absolutely no idea why both births happened early, with my second,(I was tested monthly for infection), my cervix was scanned at 12 weeks. Also, I don't smoke , didn't drink, ate well, took pregnancy vitamins and had no more stress than anyone else.

I'm not risking a third (despite secretly craving a daughter).

Good luck hunny

XXX

[notsotinybaba]

I was just going to post the same thing.

Not pg but would like another DC at some point but am very scared of having another prem baby. I didn't cope very well first time around (even though DD was healthy, born at 35 weeks). Lots of feelings of guilt even though we never found out why she was early.

Bit worried that I might never get over this and won't have another DC

[SpangleMaker]

I was about to post the same thing too! DS arrived at 35.5 weeks following spontaneous ROM, so not very early. He was fine apart from jaundice and being slow to establish bf-ing. But I'm now 6wks pregnant with #2 and beginning to get worried that this one could arrive even earlier.

notsotinybaba IKWYM about feeling guilty, I do too sometimes. I hope you can come to terms with your feelings x

[SpangleMaker]

Meant to add, lovelybubbly I hope the rest of your pregnancy went well and that your DC2 arrived safely.

[Domino89]

notsotinybaba - I feel the same and im terrified of future babies incase the same happens! If i think about her being in hospital or the whole experience it makes me cry even looking at pitures of her in the hospital, i cant look back on it without getting upset, having a premmie as my first ruined it all for me, watching all the mums on the ward with their babies and i wasnt allowed mine. Thats enough for me I cant even post about it on here!! Just thought i would say i feel the same :(

[goomum]

Hey ladies, this could be me talking as before I was feeling exactly the same fear as you are talking about now. My first son was born at 34 weeks after waters leaked. Second son born on due date! Only precautions we took were avoiding sex after 27 weeks on advice of doctor, avoiding eating gluten as I have gluten intolerance and finishing work a bit earlier than the usual 4 weeks before due date (partly cos I felt robbed of that special down time the first time round). All was well and despite doctors saying I was at increased risk - I made it to 40 weeks and had a home birth to boot. Everything was perfect the second time round- with baby feeding straight away and tucked into Moses basket by my side where he should be. It did make me re-live the sadness of not being able to provide that for my eldest all over again a bit because the contrast between their arrivals was so big BUT I think many, many women who have one prem baby go on to have a second full term baby and a positive birth experience. Good luck!

[goomum]

Hey ladies, this could be me talking as before I was feeling exactly the same fear as you are talking about now. My first son was born at 34 weeks after waters leaked. Second son born on due date! Only precautions we took were avoiding sex after 27 weeks on advice of doctor, avoiding eating gluten as I have gluten intolerance and finishing work a bit earlier than the usual 4 weeks before due date (partly cos I felt robbed of that special down time the first time round). All was well and despite doctors saying I was at increased risk - I made it to 40 weeks and had a home birth to boot. Everything was perfect the second time round- with baby feeding straight away and tucked into Moses basket by my side where he should be. It did make me re-live the sadness of not being able to provide that for my eldest all over again a bit because the contrast between their arrivals was so big BUT I think many, many women who have one prem baby go on to have a second full term baby and a positive birth experience. Good luck!

[cintyanne]

Hi all, I am going through something similar at the moment. I had my first son at 35 weeks as well as him being breech and having a cord prolapse, he died at 3 days old, that was a year ago on the 7th of January. I am now 32+2 with my second and am so so scared that something is going to go wrong. I know the chances of cord prolapse a second time are not likely at all, but does anyone know if she's more likely to arrive that early too?
My OB won't book me in for ceserean before 39 weeks, not that I want to rush anything but I'm just so worried that my waters will break before then and I live an hour from the hospital so I'm just really anxious to see how the next 6 weeks go.
Any advise from nurses or people with past experience?

[1hottmumma]

My son was born at 26 weeks and 2 days no reason at all he had a tough time he was 11 weeks old when we got him home 2 weeks later i found out i was pregnant again i worried throughout my pregnancy but once i hit 27 weeks i just ticked the time off and eventually 40 weeks and 5 days my girl was here x hope it worked out for u

[Mandy21]

HI there, I had twins at 27 weeks for no reason and was paranoid when I became pregnant again that it would be another premature birth - I was more frightened than first time round because a) I now know how many things can go wrong and b) I had no idea how we would manage the rollercoaster / logistical nightmare of 7 or 8 weeeks with a baby in SCBU and 2 x 4 year olds.

I think if there is any positive to come out of having a premature birth it that (in my experience) your second pregnancy will be very well managed - mine was. If ever I was feeling stressed / worried that something was wrong, I jumped the queue to see the midwife and saw the consultant several times.

I didn't quite get to my due date, she was born at 39+6!!

Mandy

[harrygracejessica]

Im going through the same thoughts at the moment. I had twin girls at 33 weeks through waters breaking for no reason but im currently pregnant with a set of boy twins and Im wondering if they will be earlier. There arent many statistics of 2nd set of twins early as doesnt seem to be many people that go on to have more twins!

[IcanandIwill]

DD1 born at 30 weeks and quite poorly. We put off having a second DC for some years as we really were not ready to deal with another prem birth with all of the complications it can bring.

We were never given a reason why DD1 arrived early. Thankfully with excellent midwife and consultant care and a lot of monitoring our second DD arrived at 38 weeks.

I have to say the care I revived was excellent the second time around . I really felt taken care of and that the well-being of my baby was paramount at all times.

[Ieattoomuchcake]

That's a lovely story IcanandIwill

We have DD who is only 8 mo. Born at 31 weeks, poorly in the early days, but within a week or so was just feeding and growing.

I feel sad because I always wanted more than one child but I'm not sure I could go through all that again.

Of course it is all so fresh in my mind and perhaps in a few years the memories will have faded enough to make us want to do it again!!

[rods]

my baby girl was born at 32weeks prem think it cud of been due to waters leaking but did not get any news why she was so early she was wiped of to nicu straight away i was put on ward felt very uncumfotable wiv oter mums an babies crying i am thinking of avin another but very scared in case it brings back emotion of my daughter cumin early an just cudent cope we aving to take my daughter on to a nicu unit x also she had lot of jaundice

[abgirl]

Had DS1 at 29+4, v traumatic, didn't see him for 30 hours after the birth due to other prem births going on at the same time. Had PE and was extremely nervous about having a second. Would say Ieattoomuchcake that 8mo isn't very long and maybe you need to have a bigger gap before you start thinking about it seriously?

However decided to go for it, reasoning that I'd be better prepared and know what to expect. Finished work for maternity leave a lot sooner and changed my birth plan weekly but ended up going to term and having a completely different experience with DS2, which kind of restored my faith in myself and my ability to have babies - not feeling the need to have any more now though...

Having another has definitely helped me cope with the trauma of DS1. Would definitely recommend contacting your hospital and asking to see a consultant before you start trying to conceive. Also rods have a colleague at work who's second child was prem and they had to take their DD1 on to SCBU - she actually took it all in her stride and was v calm about everything, so it might not be as bad as you think?

HTH

[laura616]

i had my son at 31 weeks due to a infection they said
they didnt know where it came from was just one of them things,im pregnant again im 3 months im worried incase the same thing could happen again dont want to go though that going up the hospital every day! well i didnt have any urine tests with my son if i did have them tests they could of caught the infection early and gave me something to get rid of it,im hoping i do go full term with this baby

[circular]

Had B/G (IVF) twins at 28+1, waters broke on T1 a few days earlier. T1 only lived for a day, strep Infection. Unclear whether that caused early labour or if infection came during / after delivery. Emergency C- section. T2 very weak, 16 wks in hospital, the first few touch and go. Now DD1 age 13.5.

Fell pregnant naturally 4.5 years later, then over 40. Paranoid up to 32 weeks that history would repeat itself, but was continually told by the medics that it was very unlikely, as no conclusive reason for. 1st time.
Had lots of extra monitoring, doplar scan to check enough blood / nourishment getting to placenta. Intravenous antibiotics during labour. DD2 (now 8) a large, healthy, 8.5lb, at 40+3.