Questions Regarding Pre-Term Labor

[MommytoDylan]

I'm interested in the opinions of people that have had early constant contractions or are in the medical field.

My SIL started to have regular contractions at 31 weeks. The doctor monitored her for a few hours in the hospital and sent her home with medicine to take every 4 hours. She still had about 4 contractions an hour on the medicine. Then she felt like her heart was racing from the medicine and the doctor said she could quit taking it--that it did increase one's heartrate on some that had taken it for awhile. This is at 33 weeks. She was still having around 4 contractions an hour consistently. Now she is at 35 weeks and this is still going on. She went to the hospital this morning, they hooked her up and she is having regular contractions but is not dialating. So they sent her home.

My SIL had many surgeries as a child and has lots of scar tissue in her abdominal area. She never dialated with her first (emergency c-section b/c the cord came out first) and I am wondering (my mom also--who is an RN) if her scar tissue prevents her from dialating.

What do you think about this situation? Anyone have any comforting similar stories? Is the baby in danger with all these contractions over such a long period of time? SIL is exhausted and having back labor!

Thanks in advance! I just really concerned!

Meredith

[egoldber]

It sounds like she may have a condition called irritable uterus. This can happen to anyone, but people with previous C-sections and other abdominal scarring are more prone to it. This can lead to pre-term contractions, but not necessarily pre term labor. While pre-term contractions are painful and irritating, they do not necessarily lead to pre-term labor. As long as her cervix remains close and dilated it sounds like she is doing fine.

There are a couple moms here who have had PTC but not PTL. Hopfully they will see this and share. There was a thread awhile ago from one of these moms that was very helpful.

Here it is:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=37&topic_id=128399&mesg_id=128399&listing_type=search

And here's another where our resident OB chimed in:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=37&topic_id=123172&mesg_id=123172&listing_type=search

HTH,

[egoldber]

It sounds like she may have a condition called irritable uterus. This can happen to anyone, but people with previous C-sections and other abdominal scarring are more prone to it. This can lead to pre-term contractions, but not necessarily pre term labor. While pre-term contractions are painful and irritating, they do not necessarily lead to pre-term labor. As long as her cervix remains close and dilated it sounds like she is doing fine.

There are a couple moms here who have had PTC but not PTL. Hopfully they will see this and share. There was a thread awhile ago from one of these moms that was very helpful.

Here it is:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=37&topic_id=128399&mesg_id=128399&listing_type=search

And here's another where our resident OB chimed in:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=37&topic_id=123172&mesg_id=123172&listing_type=search

HTH,

[ismommy]

Hi,
I am at 34 weeks and have been contracting since 23 weeks. Beth gave you the links to my earlier posts. As of 28 weeks I had no dilation. I havent been checked since and at this point won't unless my OB deems it truly necessary.
With my first I had pretrem labor - I was dilating and was put on meds and complete bedrest and 37 weeks. Bella arrived healthy though she did end up being an emergency c-section. My understanding though was that was due to low amniotic fluid not the contractions.
I would tell you SIL to aks her OB about something to help her sleep. With Bella I kept going into hard labor - but then stopping so my midwife recommened benadryl so I would sleep and hoped that would help my body readjust to do productive contractions.
I have no idea about the scar tissue adding to this.
I have a friend who was contracting from 11 weeks on and delivered a healthy boy so I would tell you SIL not to worry. She is at 35 weeks which is great.
If there is anyway I can help or answer questions LMK. Sorry this is disjointed not much sleep last nite.
Helene
mommy to Isabella
baby x EDD 1/11/05

[ismommy]

Hi,
I am at 34 weeks and have been contracting since 23 weeks. Beth gave you the links to my earlier posts. As of 28 weeks I had no dilation. I havent been checked since and at this point won't unless my OB deems it truly necessary.
With my first I had pretrem labor - I was dilating and was put on meds and complete bedrest and 37 weeks. Bella arrived healthy though she did end up being an emergency c-section. My understanding though was that was due to low amniotic fluid not the contractions.
I would tell you SIL to aks her OB about something to help her sleep. With Bella I kept going into hard labor - but then stopping so my midwife recommened benadryl so I would sleep and hoped that would help my body readjust to do productive contractions.
I have no idea about the scar tissue adding to this.
I have a friend who was contracting from 11 weeks on and delivered a healthy boy so I would tell you SIL not to worry. She is at 35 weeks which is great.
If there is anyway I can help or answer questions LMK. Sorry this is disjointed not much sleep last nite.
Helene
mommy to Isabella
baby x EDD 1/11/05

[momathome]

I was having 5-6 contractions an hour every hour starting at 30 weeks until I delivered Kasey at 38 weeks. I was put on medication that reduced my contractions to 3 an hour but never took them away entirely. Because I was starting to dilate a little, I was put on 4 weeks of bedrest. Kasey was just fine through all of this but I was a mess! I will cross my fingers for your SIL that things go well for her.

[momathome]

I was having 5-6 contractions an hour every hour starting at 30 weeks until I delivered Kasey at 38 weeks. I was put on medication that reduced my contractions to 3 an hour but never took them away entirely. Because I was starting to dilate a little, I was put on 4 weeks of bedrest. Kasey was just fine through all of this but I was a mess! I will cross my fingers for your SIL that things go well for her.

[ktdid74]

Hi Meredith- I'm an OB nurse and had plenty of preterm issues with my kids. I was just going to chime in about scar tissue. Usually people who have had some kind of procedure on their cervix can have problems with dilating (i.e. cryo, LEEP, Cone biopsy) due to scar tissue. I may be wrong but I don't think abd. scar tissue would hinder dilation.
I contracted almost constantly from 22 weeks on. I have a bicornuate uterus that makes it very irritable- I contracted even with drugs. The main point is I didn't dilate. I did worry that maybe my water would break but it never did. As long as she's not making change in her cervix, her doc will probably just continue to monitor. It's defintely nerve wracking though!
HTH-

[ktdid74]

Hi Meredith- I'm an OB nurse and had plenty of preterm issues with my kids. I was just going to chime in about scar tissue. Usually people who have had some kind of procedure on their cervix can have problems with dilating (i.e. cryo, LEEP, Cone biopsy) due to scar tissue. I may be wrong but I don't think abd. scar tissue would hinder dilation.
I contracted almost constantly from 22 weeks on. I have a bicornuate uterus that makes it very irritable- I contracted even with drugs. The main point is I didn't dilate. I did worry that maybe my water would break but it never did. As long as she's not making change in her cervix, her doc will probably just continue to monitor. It's defintely nerve wracking though!
HTH-

[MommytoDylan]

Thank you for all your replies! I feel much, much better now and will forward this to my mom!

Thanks again,
Meredith

[MommytoDylan]

Thank you for all your replies! I feel much, much better now and will forward this to my mom!

Thanks again,
Meredith