****mcdev***

fothwk1

Hi there,

I noticed in the post below that both of your DD's were preemies. If you don't mind me asking, what contributed to that? As I have 2 boys a 35wkr (Now 4yrs)and 26wkr (6mths). Has your OB/GYN advised against any more kids? Both of my DS were IUGR and the first one was mild Pre-E and the second was insuficent placenta. Thank you.

wendy

mcdev

Hi!

To make a long story short, no one is 100% sure why I have premature babies. ?Now the long story....

With Claire, I began prematurely dilating around 23 weeks. ?I spent 10 weeks on bedrest and was monitored through ultrasound very closely. ?My water broke at 33 weeks (ironically as I walked into the hospital for my first birthing class). ?Claire was born and it was determined that her birth was due to my incompetent cervix ( I have a short cervix and have had LEEP procedures in the past) and that with future pregnancies I would have a cerclage.

With Keira, two cerclages did not hold. ?I had a trans-abdominal cerclage put in that was supposed to be the "cure" to my IC. ?The problem is that I then developed placenta previa and even had a small abruption. ?All completely unrelated to my cervical problems. ?I bled the rest of my pregnancy and was on bedrest (some hospitalized). ?My water broke at 26 weeks 5 days. ?Labor began at 26 weeks 6 days and I was put on mag, terb, etc. ?At 27 weeks exactly, the baby went into distress and she was born by emergency c-section.

Can I have more kids? ?My Ob/Gyn said we will never know if Keira's premature birth was due to the placenta problems of if there is another underlying PTL problem. ?The only way to know for sure would be to try for #3. ?I am not taking the chance. ?I am counting my blessings with the 2 I have. ?I really think I have something undiagnosed that causes PTL. ?My sister's symptoms are totally different from mine, but she had my niece at 26 weeks and lost two more babies in the late second trimester due to unexplained PTL. ?I really think there may possibly be something genetic that does not allow us to carry to term. ?It's just too coincidental.

Good luck to you! Do you think you'll have more??

fothwk1

Thanks for responding! As with you, I think this is it for us as far as kids.  I don't think I could go through having another child in the NICU. I wonder how many people have multiple pregnancies that result in preemies. I am sure glad that there is a preemie board, what a great support network and resource this is.

wendy