Recently I've been getting many questions from women who want to try and conceive again after PPROM (Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes). So I thought I'd do a quick post about what to expect.⠀
What is PPROM?
Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes means your water breaks before 37 weeks and occurs in about 3% of pregnancies. I PPROM’ed at 23 weeks and it was one of the scariest days of my life.
If you've read Pregnancy Brain, you know what a horrible day that was for me and what I wished I'd known to advocate for looking back.
Assuming you have no other known fertility issues it should not affect your ability to get pregnant again.⠀ ⠀
What to expect when you try to conceive after PPROM?
The big question is: Will it happen again?
Unfortunately, it's not an easy question to answer because it depends on each person & situation. A study from 2003 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology said after PPROM your chances for PPROM again are increased by 20x.⠀ That can sound really scary but there is hope!
PPROM can happen because of overdistention of the uterus (usually because of carrying multiples or #polyhydramnios) so a single embryo transfer if you’re doing IVF can reduce your risk.⠀ ⠀ Another common risk for PPROM is infection. Research out of UC Irvine School of Medicine shows that maternal stress during pregnancy affects your immune system in ways to increase your risk of infection.⠀ Does that mean you caused PPROM in the past?
No way! But it means there is hope for the future. Stress is not about what’s happening in your head. It is a physiological reaction that creates chemical changes to your nervous, immune and hormonal systems in your body.
Taking your time to release the stress (due to grief, guilt, fear, etc) from your body prior to trying to conceive will help tremendously. It’s not 100% guarantee of prevention, but it will help lower your risk.⠀
What else can I do? ⠀ Schedule a preconception appointment with your high-risk OB. Ask about the reasons for PPROM in the past. Devise a plan for monitoring and treatment in future pregnancies that you are comfortable with. Prioritize turning off the stress response in your body.⠀
For a detailed guide on questions to ask when trying to conceive after a high-risk pregnancy, grab my free What Should I Ask My Doctor guide.
There is hope
You will be considered high risk next time you are pregnant, but there’s still plenty of hope that you can have a healthy pregnancy with a take home baby.⠀
What questions do you have about PPROM? I cannot provide specific or medical advice but I can give general information. Ask me your questions below!