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Original poster

Hospital wants to send me home after PPROM. I don’t want to go. Help.

780 replies

CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 12:20

Posting for traffic. My waters broke at home and were bright red, and I was 26 weeks with DCDA twins. I called an ambulance and was rushed to hospital where I had a huge gush of red fluid. I was counselled about preterm birth and given steroid injections. I saw a neonatal doctor who stated the most important thing was to deliver at a hospital with NICU cots.

Despite severe agonising pain, a week has passed and I haven’t given birth. Twins aren’t distressed and my observations are fine.

However I feel incredibly unwell. I keep burning hot and turning red but my temp is not raised. I feel like I have the flu or another illness. I have no energy and can barely move due to pain. Codeine won’t touch it. A midwife told me to have a hot bath which I am sure is contraindicated.

The staff want to send me home. I have stated I do not want to go home due to me living an hour from the hospital and the risk of infection, cord compression, preterm delivery and stillbirth. I do not want to lose my babies. I want to remain in the unit with NICU like the doctor advised.

Can anyone give me any advice? I can’t find any info on this anywhere and feel like the staff are fobbing me off.

OP posts:
pencilpot99 · 15/10/2018 14:16

I'm not surprised you are scared OP. You are hugely vulnerable at the moment and they need to clearly explain and make sure you 100% understand the reasons for any decisions being made. Decisions should be made by someone senior who has all the facts and information on your situation in front of them and is competent to make that decision. I know it's hard but you have to stick to your guns, make a fuss, don't be pushed around. I also believe in trusting your own instincts. Do you have someone with you who can help advocate for you? Are they clear on how you feel and your wishes? I really hope you're not dealing with all this on your own.

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:18

Warning: pad photo.

imgur.com/a/v3YMpKi

Can anyone tell me if this looks like meconium stained waters?

OP posts:
Bigkingdom · 15/10/2018 14:18

Speak to the supervisor of midwives, she can mediate between you and the midwives regarding your care.

SinkGirl · 15/10/2018 14:19

If by any chance you are in Dorset, please send me a PM - I work as a maternity voices rep and can get in touch with the right people quickly.

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:19

My mum or partner are with me 80% of the time although I'm on my own for a few hours as he's at work and my mum has had to go and get my son.

OP posts:
Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:20

SinkGirl thank you, I'm sadly nowhere near Dorset but that was a very kind thing to say.

OP posts:
SinkGirl · 15/10/2018 14:22

Bugger (although glad to hear that this isn’t happening here to be honest!). If you want to PM me your town / county and a way to contact you, I can reach out and see if I can find a maternity rep in your area - not all areas have them but we might get lucky.

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:26

I have messaged you.

OP posts:
Mimmee · 15/10/2018 14:27

We lost our DD earlier this year after PPROM (before 24 weeks) and I became poorly very quickly and needed treatment for sepsis. Like previous posters have said, definitely do not let them discharge you without doing your bloods if you are feeling unwell.
Also, I was advised by others with PPROM to avoid baths too.
Keeping everything crossed for you and your twins. I know what a scary place you are in right now.

PrivateDoor · 15/10/2018 14:28

Ahh you poor thing, what a stress Sad Please be reassured that you do not currently have sepsis - they have been monitoring your bloods and your observations, sepsis cannot hide from these tests! They should have sent a vaginal swab on your admission which would have shown GBS if it were present. I think the hospital are thinking you have been settled now for a week and so you would be better at home. Hospital admissions increase your risk of infections and blood clots. Also you state no one knows what to do as this is so unusual - that is not the case at all,this is actually not an unusual event and it is usual protocol for the patient to go home after a period of monitoring. The usual process would be to return for scans and bloods 2 or 3 times a week and for you to monitor your temp at home for signs of infection.

HOWEVER you are unsure about this pain. How long has it lasted for? Are they doing CTGs on you or is it too early still? Have they done a fetal fibronectin or partasure test? Does it feel like labour to you? They really should not be sending you home if you are in threatened pre-term labour, PPROM and previous caesarian - I would just literally refuse to leave.

Imnotacelebgetmeouttahere · 15/10/2018 14:29

Warning - this isnt a scare tactic post just factual.

Ive had PPROM 4 times and was sent home after a week each time once they were satisfied I wasn't going into labour... however I was happy to go as I had been through it before. If youve had antibiotics and monitoring then theoretically as long as you continue to have monitoring you will be kept a close eye on and no need for admission.

HOWEVER ..if you dont feel right. ..you dont leave until you are reassured. i had difficulty with the last one as I felt terrible and they kept insisting my CRP was fine hence all was well. Eventually they agreed to deliver and he was born with sepsis and we almost lost him at 36hrs.

If you can remain calm and unemotional and deal with facts it becomes easier " i feel unwell, I'm contracting (im assuming this is showing on a monitor?) And i don't feel its appropriate to be discharged yet. If you insist I would like you to note in my notes it was against maternal wishes" you may have more luck

PrivateDoor · 15/10/2018 14:30

Just saw pad photo - from what I can see, it is not mec - however I cannot see it clearly to be honest.

Blueroses99 · 15/10/2018 14:30

I’ve been in a similar situation and it’s so frustrating when your concerns are minimised and you are treated as any normal pregnancy when it is high risk. I was transferred to another hospital with a level 3 NICU on a Friday when birth looked like it might be imminent. Told on Sunday there was no point in keeping me in and maybe I could go home after the bank holiday. I went into labour on Monday and my daughter wouldn’t be here if she didn’t go straight to NICU as she was born at 24 weeks.

Good luck OP I hope you get some answers

Imnotacelebgetmeouttahere · 15/10/2018 14:30

Just out of curiosity ... are you In the SE?

ButAIBUtho · 15/10/2018 14:30

OP I'm not in the same position but I am experiencing a neonatal doctor saying one thing and my obstitrician saying another so the frustration is understandable.

You need to speak to the neonatal doctor again. Ask them when you can do that.

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:31

Pain has been severe for nearly 24 hours now. They did a fibronectin test but said it was negative.

mimee I am very sorry to hear that Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:32

Not SE no.

OP posts:
ButAIBUtho · 15/10/2018 14:32

If you are in the SE then you may well be experiencing the very same neonatal consultant and obstitrician that I am!

ButAIBUtho · 15/10/2018 14:32

X-posted

ButAIBUtho · 15/10/2018 14:33

To the person who asked about SE did you have Brighton NICU in mind?

PrivateDoor · 15/10/2018 14:33

Negative fibronectin is good

There is no significance in that change in BP

Keep a close eye on liqor and show a mw each and everytime there is any colour on the pad

Thinking about you Flowers

M3lon · 15/10/2018 14:35

Have you pointed out to MW that baths are counterindicated with PPROM? If so, what did they say?

everythingthelighttouches · 15/10/2018 14:35

You are doing the right thing to stay put OP. It is not uncommon for professionals to have a difference of opinion in these unique and high risk situations. The best advice i ever got was from a consultant on NICU when his colleagues were trying to get us to move hospitals. He said any issues with beds/capacity is entirely the hospital's issue and no one can force you to be discharged when you are in a high risk situation.

It is excellent that you are at a hospital with level 3 NICU. I hope your babies stay in longer, but have you been shown round the NICU so you know what to expect? (you mentioned counselling on preterm birth). Have they spoken to you about how much longer the babies might be able to stay in and have they explained what the birth plan is right now?

Take care

PrivateDoor · 15/10/2018 14:37

You can bath with PPROM. It used to be advised against but not anymore.

Original poster
CatsEye99 · 15/10/2018 14:39

Have you pointed out to MW that baths are counterindicated with PPROM?

Yes and she told me she had never heard that and that I was wrong and to go and have one.

Regarding the birth plan, I don't have one yet. I wanted a cesarean but there seems to be a push for me to deliver naturally. I'm happy to do whatever helps the babies, although my preference would be cesarean if it poses no additional risk to them.

OP posts:
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