Terminations

How many weeks were the babies? How long was mom ruptured and was she infected?

How many weeks? If they were alive and perfect (healthy?), why did they die so quickly?

I'm sorry you are feeling so sad about it.

I think I need to know what part of this is so difficult to you to offer any helpful support. Was it that you don't believe in terminations at all? Was it that you felt they weren't necessary? Was it that you thought the babies could have been saved? Or was it just that it's heartbreaking to see a baby pass away under any circumstances?

We do our terminations on an antepartum unit, but I have been at hospitals that did them on L&D. When ruptured really early, moms generally have the right to choose what type of treatment they want for themselves and for the baby.

???? Confused...

I'm sorry to be so naive, but how are they terminations if the babies were born alive and healthy? I guess I'm confused because of the reference to not being an abortion setting.

I'm sorry about your sad week. It would have really affected me as well.

~j

I echo the others; how early were these "terminations".....?

if the babies were not viable, then I can't see how they could be saved. Just because they were "born perfect and alive" does not mean they were truly VIABLE. There IS a difference between elective terminations for matters of convenience versus those due to medical needs/conditions....so,

I agree with the others; I need to know a bit more before I can begin to help you deal with your feelings. Sorry about your bad week!!!

Sorry for the confusion....these babies were 21 and 22 weeks..when I said healthy, what I should have said was no visable anomalies...they looked like perfect but not viable babies. The mothers did not have infections..I am not stupid..I realize that these babies did not have the best progrosis, but know that sometimes these babies do survive to a viable age. It was a hard week...Tammy

I work in a Catholic hospital, so these situations do not happen. We occasionally transfer out a mom who wants to deliver, but we have had several babies who have been delivered at a viable age after early PSROM and did well. Often these moms go home, monitor their temps and are readmitted to the hospital when the babies are viable.

Sorry about you bad week at work We've all been there.

I'm just speculating on why they let these moms deliver.

I know with PPROM around that age they will not stop labor because A) The lungs will be crap if they sit in there with no fluid and B) Infection is the norm, not an exception, especially if the mom is already dialated.

Was this the moms choice?

21 to 22 weeks is not viable anywhere I have seen. They say we have reached the limits....short of lung transplant, they just don't survive this early.....lungs will never mature.

anyhow I am so sorry about this horrible time you are having. Demises are the WORST......taking a toll on the would-be mother, family and nursing. Try to remember how these patients feel about this...it does not mitigate YOUR sadness and sense of helplessness but may help you remember to be sympathatic and kind to those undergoing such "terminations" and how hard it is for THEM.

Our hospital has an active RTS group to give support to families and staff members in these situations. If there is a group in your area they have lots of resources (books, etc) and are very helpful in supporting staff as they work through the grief.

I can't find a web page for them, but someone with more web savvy than me might be able to.

RTS means Resolve Through Sharing and is for people dealing with the loss of a neonate, infant or preterm(miscarriage/fetal demise), etc.

I hope this helps.

I'm still confused, probably because I work in a Catholic facility, and we don't handle any terminations.

But, are you saying these pts had PPROM, or AROM? I didn't realize they did second trimester terminations in the hosp. Then again, I have only ever worked in a Cath. facility so I'm ignorant to the ways of the world.

Originally posted by tamrnmomof4

Sorry for the confusion....these babies were 21 and 22 weeks..when I said healthy, what I should have said was no visable anomalies...they looked like perfect but not viable babies. The mothers did not have infections..I am not stupid..I realize that these babies did not have the best progrosis, but know that sometimes these babies do survive to a viable age. It was a hard week...Tammy

At 21/22 wks gestation, I'm sorry, but these babies were not viable. 23 weeks is really the earliest viability point for a fetus, and even then, sometimes, there is very poor prognosis. I'm sorry you had a rough week and demises are ALWAYS hard, especially when the pregnancy is advanced. Usually, when a mom starts contracting at this stage, of course, they try and stop delivery. I can not believe any medical practioner would say "let's deliver, and see what happens..." We know what's gonna happen. More than likely, the mom's labor was unable to be stopped, or by the time she got there she was well on her way to delivery. Plus, with PROM, the labor/imminent labor and impending infection do not offer much hope. Sometimes we can keep mom in hospital, on bedrest, on abx, on tocolytics, and hope to get baby to viability. Sometimes this isn't possible. Very sad, but I also would not phrase these as "terminations". At this stage of a pregnancy, this is referred to as a "fetal demise". 1st trimester losses are referred to as a "miscarriage".

We utilize RTS also, and this is a heartbreaking time for the family. I have sufferred pregnancy loss myself, not at that gestation, but, still, I woud be upset if someone referred to the loss as my "terminating" the pregnancy. Mom had no control over PROM and I'm sure she's sufferring. My prayers are with these families, and I hope you have better shifts next week!:)