PPROM 30 Weeks

[emmakelly]

Hi I’m just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation?

At 30 weeks pregnant with twin girls I started having difficulty passing urine so I called my maternity hospital who told me to come straight to A&E so I went in and they examined me and prescribed me with an antibiotic for a suspected UTI. On day 5 I noticed that I wasn’t starting to feel any better so I went back into A&E and when I was asked for a urine sample I noticed that my underwear was a bit damp so I said it to the doctor when I went back and she performed an amnisure test as well as swabs on me which came back with a faint positive so I was diagnosed with PPROM and was admitted to the hospital. They put me on a 48 hour IV drip of Amoxicillin and I was told I could go home after this with a week of antibiotics. After the 48 hours I was told that I needed to wait for my swabs to come back before I was discharged which would take 2 more days so Thursday came and I was ready to go as my swabs were in but I was informed that I wouldn’t be going home and that I would be staying in hospital until my babies arrived. I have opted for a C Section so I asked when this would be scheduled to give myself something to look forward to while I’m here and they said they are pushing me to have the babies at 36 weeks as it’s twins but it could be sooner if I go into labour myself. I was fine with this information but as this is my first pregnancy and I have 6 weeks to go im really starting to stress about not being home to prepare for their arrival. I have only had two minor leaks since I’ve been here which is a week now. My blood pressure is good, temp is good, pulse is good, fetal movements are good, no aches no pains, no bleeding. Nothing. I feel perfectly fine. They have said that they would discharge me and let me do outpatient care 3 times a week but on count that I live 40 mins away I’m too much of a risk. I asked them what I’m at risk of and I’ve heard different answers. One doctor said I’m at risk of infection, the other said risk of early labour. I told them that I will come straight back into the hospital if I feel like something is happening but they are having none of it. I can’t sleep in the hospital as they have me on the prenatal ward and I’m constantly in a room with women who are in early labour so I’m hearing screams all day and all night. Midwives are even questioning why I’m still here as all my stats are good and I should be allowed to go home and be on bed rest there in comfort. If anyone could advise me on this that would be great. I just feel so isolated as I can’t have visitors due to COVID just my partner but he works until after visiting hours are up so I’m sitting in a bed all alone all day and all night and it’s really starting to affect my mental health. I’m crying all the time and I just want to go home.

They can’t physically keep you in the hospital. You can tell them you are going to wait at home. Just make sure you weigh up all risk factors and pros and make an informed decision, but it is inevitably your decision.

You are certainly not a prisoner in the hospital and you are completely allowed to make a choice about whether to stay or leave, despite how the hospital are making you feel. It sounds like you’ve weighed up the benefits and risks to the situation and have decided you want to return home.
Could you also explore with them if there are any other options - is there anywhere closer to home that would allow for you to attend daily monitoring as an outpatient for example?
I am really sorry you are in this situation - remember it’s always your decision!

I know they’re not making me feel like it’s my decision at all. The head doctor basically said your here until they are and that’s the end of it. I wouldn’t even dream of leaving if I thought for one second that something bad would happen but I told them multiple times I’ll come in for outpatient care and I’ll monitor my temp at and any pains I may get at home and come straight in if something is amiss but they still keep saying that I can’t because of the distance yet they’re telling me I might be able to go home at 33 weeks if the girls weighs are favourable, so where is concern of the risk of infection and early labour there? It’s just not making sense to me at all.

Perhaps speak to the midwives and tell them you are going home so can they let the doctor know. Midwives tend to be more reasonable. If they continue to disregard your wants I’d put a complaint in to PALS.

*UPDATE

Doctor came up to see me this morning. She asked me how I was doing and I said I wasn’t doing well, that I need to go home because I’m stressed out being here and it’s doing me more harm than good and that I’ll come to outpatients 5 times a week if they need me too but I just need to go home to my own bed. She asked me would it help me if they gave me day releases and I said no as all my family work full time and they all live where I live so it wouldn’t be doable. She asked me how far away I live and I said it’s a 45 minute drive from here and she asked me if the baby’s movements were good and I said yes and asked if I’ve leaked anymore fluid and I said no and she said she’d speak to the other doctor and they’d let me know. At around 3pm I fell asleep. I’ve just woken up to be told by the midwives that the doctors were around but they saw I was asleep so they left. It’s funny how they wake you for every little thing but when the doctors come around. I’m absolutely furious now.

I don't understand you being furious with people who are trying to help you. PPROM 30weeks with multiples sounds pretty risky & they are the ones who assess risk day in day out. I think it might help you come to terms with your situation if you get a little perspective. It's a few more weeks & hopefully the outcome is healthy mother & two healthy babies....

I’ve actually asked and done research and spoke to midwives who have all confirmed that outpatient treatment is no riskier than inpatient treatment for PPROM especially at 31 weeks when the survival rate for both babies is as high as 95% hence why the midwives are also confused as to why I’m still here. It’s also less riskier if I come to outpatients as many days a week as required to be monitored. As I’ve already stated I will return to hospital immediately with any sign of infection or contraction so explain to me where im supposed to find perspective in this situation when I am a first time mom to be who suffers from extreme anxiety, who is also heavily pregnant, stuck in a hospital setting being woken up by screaming women in labour all hours of the night (I haven’t slept a full night sleep since I’ve been here) with no visitors allowed and all family are 45 mins away, when I could home in my own home on bedrest in my own comfort with family helping me emotionally and physically to prepare for this massive life event who are all prepared to be on standby should I need to go to the hospital in an emergency? There nothing I’m doing here that I can’t do in the comfort of my own home. It’s not as straight forward as getting on with it when there’s a lot to get on with.

Hi @emmakelly , if you really want to leave you can just discharge yourself. Hospitals aren't prisons!
Hope everything goes well for you and your babies