If your waters brake at 22 wks, what hope is there?

[bramblina]

This happened to a friend (acquaintance really, not close enough that I would pay her a visit but now am thinking I might) at the weekend. A mutual friend told me this yesterday. She said they had told her she would need to hold on to 24 wks or there is nothing they can do. Sounds a bit harsh though I know 24 wks makes it viable, are they saying there is no chance for the baby at 22 wks? If she gets to 24 wks what chance is there for the baby? How ill will it be? If her waters have broken, how far can she expect to get now? I read on here just the other night someone's waters had trickled for the last 3 wks of her pregnancy, is that only because she nearly made it full term?
Q's Q's Q's, sorry, I just don't know much about this. Another friend lost her baby at 15 wks last year because her waters had broken so I'm just thinking this might happen to my other friend. They live next door to each other, can you believe it?

the biggest risk is infection with waters broke, and i expect she is being given antibiotics. if she goes into labour unfortuanatly they are unlikely to attempt to stop it and they will not try to save baby.
if she makes it to 24 weeks they will start giving steriods for lungs and they will attempt to stop labour.
babys at 24 weeks have around 40% survival rate some of these will have problems from small learning disability to sever mental retardation.
there are storys on the internet about babys being born months after waters have broken and have been absoloutly fine so if labour or infection doesn't happen then theres hope.
most important now is she does everything to keep baby there until 24 weeks.
practical things are

• drinking a ridiculous amount of water at least 2L more if can manage
• minimise fluid leaks by lieing flat and not getting up
• antibiotics (NOT METRONIDAZOLE) new research suggests it causes preterm births!

there is a website somewhere with great info on it i will have a look for it.

\link{http://www.kanalen.org/prom/\found it}:)

Thank you very much, I may give her a ring with your info.[smlie]