PPROM at 34 weeks questions

[SickAndTiredAgain]

I'm in the day assessment unit and have just had it confirmed with the swab test that my waters have been leaking. I'm being admitted for at least 24 hours for steroids and antibiotics/general monitoring I think.

I'm 34+5, so not really early, and I think my waters have maybe been leaking for a few days - it's not a lot, I thought it was just increased discharge. Haven't had any pain or contractions or anything.

I'm not really sure what I'm asking as I'm a bit thrown, I really thought I was making a fuss about nothing even calling the triage line - has anyone else had this (I mean, obviously loads of people have!). What is the process if I'm able to go home tomorrow/Tuesday? Additional monitoring? They said maybe induction at 37 weeks if the baby still hasn't arrived? But I'm not sure how likely it is I'll get to 37 weeks - is it really unlikely, or quite possible?

I've had pprom 3 times and all 3 times I went into labour almost a week later. I know some people who have gone to almost due date though

I don't think they ever leave you that long these days though as they tend to say induction at 37 weeks. I never got that far

Hi

I had PPROM at 21 wks many years ago. It was managed with antibiotics and twice weekly scans. I was allowed to go home but my consultant happened to be a specialist in the condition. My son was born via emergency c-section at 35 weeks. He was in nicu and special care for 3 weeks but other than a bit of jaundice he was fine. He’s currently studying for his A-levels and has just passed his driving test. Not sure where the time has gone!

I had this at 30 weeks. They didn’t believe it was my waters initially but did a scan as I had a low lying placenta and was due a scan any way and they discovered my waters had all gone.

I was admitted for monitoring and ABs. I was kept in until I went into labour at 35+5. Baby was also breech so had an emergency c-section.

My waters replenished slowly so I was continually leaking small amounts but when I went into labour, there was a surprising amount.

This was 16 years ago though - I think the plan was to get me to 36 weeks but baby had other ideas.

Hi @SickAndTiredAgain - this was me in October 2019 at almost exactly the same gestation! I was trickling waters but no big gush. They kept me in to monitor me for 24hours and I was then discharged with a weeks' worth of antibiotics. I was told they would want the baby out at 37 weeks and I had an ELCS at 37+2 (I would not have consented to induction and was already considering an ELCS for tokophobia but my baby was breech so I never had to have that argument). I use BBT tracking normally so was able to use my thermometer to take my temperature several times a day to make sure I knew if it started to increase for infection risk - nothing happened with that.

I continued to trickle waters right up until the section. I was drinking litres of water to make sure the fluid was replaced - an U/S a week later showed that fluid was normal. I had no signs of labour, but having to wear tena lady pads made me determined to make sure I did my kegels for the future!

Obviously this might not happen for you but I wanted to put my experience out there that it doesn't necessarily mean you'll go into early labour.

Good luck OP 🤞

Thanks everyone. It is useful to hear the different scenarios.

I'm really hoping they let me go home today, I'm not great in hospitals (had planned a home birth but I think that's out the window now), plus because of covid DD isn't allowed to visit so I'm really hoping they don't keep me in for ages, she's only 2.

This happened in my first pregnancy at exactly the same gestation. I spent 48 hours in hospital and then home with a course of antibiotics and regularly checking my temperature (every 4 hours, which was a pain!) to make sure I didn't have an infection. I had to go back to triage for monitoring every few days and I had a quick scan at some point to check baby was growing as expected.

I was scheduled for induction at 37 weeks but I went into labour spontaneously at 36+4. Easy delivery, healthy baby.

One of the worst parts was constantly leaking fluid, often in large gushes. Stock up on incontinence pads!

The uncertainty is horrible and it's not the nicest end to your pregnancy but you're in the right place! Good luck 🤞

Dr has been round and said that if nothing changes, I can go home tomorrow. So fingers crossed!
There is still no sign of labour or any pain at all, and I'm 35 weeks tomorrow so hopefully can get closer to 37 weeks, even if just a few days.

That's good, good luck op. Let us know how you get on if you get a chance!

Thanks. I'm back home now and have an induction booked for 37 weeks. I'm really dreading it already tbh, you hear such horror stories about inductions!

@SickAndTiredAgain if you're not 100% certain about an induction then is it worth discussing ELCS? Ultimately if you would rather that (I'm not in your shoes so wouldn't want to judge!) then they'll have to give you one of they want the baby out at that point.

Hi how are you getting on? As I’m 35 weeks today but my waters went at 32 weeks and there still gushing but they want me to try and wait it out untill 37 weeks too. I’ve had this in my past 2 pregnancy one at 28 weeks who was born 29+6 weeks and my other was 30 weeks and then born at 33+3 weeks. I’m also having contractions most days and always wake me up all through out the night with them, but there so inconsistent but quite a high intensity to the point I have been admitted twice but I’m not in actual labour. This time it’s so confusing to me as I’ve normally been in hospital the whole time and then had to hve c section but this time I have been sent home with erythromycin tablets and to just check that my waters don’t change colour or smell. I never know when to call the hospital 🙈 so i don’t I just wait for my weekly hospital appointments for my bloods etc.

@Amivickery that sounds tough being at home if you're not sure when you'd need to call. Plus it must be exhausting being woken with contractions for this long! It sounds like quite a different experience to mine as I didn't have any leaking of waters after the initial couple of days.

I was induced last week at 37 weeks and had DD2 12 hours later. They had to break my waters in labour and said they think it was just my hind waters that had gone earlier. I didn't have any contractions until the induction started (just the gel, then waters being broken).

Hopefully everything goes ok with you!