"Self pity is our worst enemy, and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in the world."
- Helen Keller1880-1968, Blind and Deaf Educator

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Clinical Definitions- Now You Know

Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes -- PPROM
Your baby is surrounded by a sac of amniotic fluid. Some people call it the bag of waters. In most cases, this sac breaks during labor. Preterm premature rupture of membranes occurs when your water breaks before labor begins and more than three weeks before your due date. You may notice a gush of fluid, a slow leak or a trickle from the vagina. The reason why this happens is not known. There is nothing you could have done to cause or prevent this. Preterm premature rupture of membranes probably occurs for many different reasons. Women who smoke cigarettes, have had bleeding during pregnancy or whose water broke before they went into labor in a previous pregnancy are more likely to have PPROM. Preterm premature rupture of membranes occurs in 2 out of every 100 pregnancies. In cases where the membrane has ruptured very early, less than 20 weeks gestation, you may make the choice to deliver your baby. However, these babies are too young to live on their own.
http://www.mombaby.org/

Oligohydramnios
Oligohydramnios means having too little amniotic fluid in your womb. About 8 per cent of all pregnant women are found to have low amniotic fluid at some point, usually in their third trimester. Among those still pregnant two weeks past their due date, 12 per cent have this condition.
What is amniotic fluid and what does it do?
Amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds your baby as she grows in the amniotic sac in your uterus during pregnancy. The fluid, or waters, protects her from being hurt if you have a blow to your tummy or your tummy is compressed. The fluid also plays an important part in protecting your baby against infection and in helping her lungs and digestive system to mature. Babies regularly swallow the amniotic fluid and it is passed out of their bodies as urine. In this way, your baby controls the volume of amniotic fluid around her.

The amount of amniotic fluid you have increases until the beginning of the third trimester and generally peaks at 36/37 weeks, at which point you may have about 800-1000ml/2 pints. After that, it gradually begins to decrease until you give birth. Low levels of amniotic fluid during the first trimester and early part of the second trimester of your pregnancy are rare, but where it does occur, it may lead to an increased chance of miscarriage, or stillbirth.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk

Complications of the above lead to the possibility of:
Pulmonary Hyperplasia- baby's lungs are underdeveloped
Cord Prolapse- restricting oxygen and vital nutrients to baby
Premature Labor
Miscarriage or stillbirth

6 comments:

Mrs. Spit said...

I am so sorry that Sally Ann can't be with you. The death of a child is the largest heart break there is.

But there's a group of us out there, holding out hope for one another.

I'm sorry you had to join us. We must be one of the few groups that don't like getting new members.

I am so sorry. It's not much, and there's little comfort, but it's true.

Brandy said...

I can't even begin to imagine all that you've gone through, I just wanted you to know that you and your family are in my thoughts.

Delenn said...

Coming here from Natalie's blog. I just wanted to tell you that there are people out there thinking of you and your Sally Ann.

Mommy said...

I had a similar situation. Sitting on the couch, my water broke at 16 weeks. I managed to get pregnant again, but it took four years. This time, my doctor knew what to look for and he did an ultrasound every week. Sure enough, at 19 weeks, my cervix has shortened considerably from the week before. He did a cerclage that day, and baby arrived safe and sound at 38 weeks. So sorry, you are going through this. It was the darkest time of my life. Make sure you check for an imcompenet cervix next time, just in case.

MommyC said...

I lost my baby girl on April 2, 2007. I was 17 weeks along and she had passed at 16 weeks from a messed u cord! I still to this day think of her always!

I now have a 5 month old son. I got pregnant 2 months after delivering her. He is awesome. I also have 2 older boys and 1 older girl. I love my kids.

Losing a child is the most difficult thing I have ever been through. The pain doesn't go away but I wouldn't want it to .. I want to remember her. but it does get easier

Thinking of you and Sally Ann - and praying you get pregnant as soon as possible!!

(((HUGS)))

Anonymous said...

PPROM, IVF, IC, NICU, EP, SAB - acronymns that no one ever wants to have in their vocabulary, yet so many - unfortunately - are familiar with them...