Diagnosed with an Irritable uterus at 33weeks

[Nadine]

Hubby and I had a bug on Sunday and I started getting frequent tightenings in the evening. We were staying at my mums so we went to the nearest hosptial. I was put on fluids for 4.5 hrs and then we were sent home. The next evening it started up again, so we left DD at mums and went to my hosptial. My ketone level was off the chart due to dehydration and this was causing my uterus to become irritable. So I was put on a drip for 12hrs (2.5L all up).

I got back home yesterday morning and only had a few tightenings for the rest of the day. Now they have started up again and I have a constant dull period like pain in my tummy and back (but I am not sure if this is from the bug or the IU)

Has anyone had experience with this?
What were you ordered to do?
Did it go away or will my uterus stay like this untill bub is born?
Did it cause preterm labour?

Any advice or experiences would be appreciated

[diannescruffy]

I also at 33 wks had irritable uterus which caused me to go into labour but thankfully was stopped. I continually had contractions up to 39wks when DD was born but was hospitalized 3 times until then. Hope everything works out for you.

Regards,
Dianne

[~Trish~]

Sending you hugs Nadine . I don't have any experience with it myself, have you contacted your OB to ask for their advice? I think it would be best to speak with him/her just for peace of mind.

Hopefully it eases up really soon. Just make sure you are resting as much as possible

[Rach75]

my first lot was at 27 weeks, was in hosp already for another reason so all good given steroids for bub as I was contracting slightly, had 7 days of adalat to stop anything

2nd lot 29 weeks flown to brisbane spent 2 nights in hosp just shy of 3 weeks at ronal mcdonald house, on adalat and more steroids

3rd lot 34 weeks spent most of next 2 weeks in hosp again had steroids, and adalat

Jack was born via c-sect at 37 weeks 2 days

I had no dilation or anything with the contractions just contractions I beelive it can cause prem labour, main thing is too rest and not do anything strenuous

[Nadine]

Thanks for your story Dianne

Trish- I saw my obs when I was in hospital. He was the one that gave me the ok to go home. It's very annoying. I really hope it doesn't go on untill bubs arrival.

Rach75- Thanks for your story too I was definately having contractions when I was in hospital because when I was being monitored (shortly after arriving) the numbers on the monitor for a couple of the contractions reached 100. The rest were around the 60-80 mark. I have only had a few that bad since being at home. I guess the main thing is for them not to get regular. Can I ask, how did you know whether to go to hospital or not? (might be a stupid question, sorry)

[Early Kids]

I was never officially diagnosed with an irritable uterus, but did spend from just before 26 weeks until Tristan was born at 34+3 experiencing irregular contractions, tightenings and BH's. At 26+2 I went into threatned pre-term labour, which they thankfully stopped from progressing.

My advice is to trust your instinct, no-one knows your body like yourself and if you feel that something is wrong, dont wait go straight to the hospital, at least for peace of mind!

Also if you get tightenings along with back pain it'd be a good idea to at least contact your hospital. That can be a sign of pre-term labour.

[Nadine]

Sally- Thankyou for your reply Wow Tristan was a nice weight considering he was born early. If I can ask, did he require any assistance once born or was he ok?
Do you think those tightenings/contractions/bh's etc resulted in the preterm labour?

Sorry for all the questions but I haven't experienced this before and I really don't want bub coming out this early. It worries me a bit (which probably doesn't help the matter).

[Early Kids]

No problem Nadine

Tristan needed to be ventilated at birth, even though I had the steroids on board. He was only on the vent for approx 2-3 hours and then went onto what they call CPAP(helps with breathing) and that was for approx 6 hours and he hasn't looked back since. He went in leaps and bounds and came home after only 8 days in hospital, 2 of which were spent rooming in with me at my local matrnity hospital! I was told by the drs that for his gestation we should expect 10-14 days in the SCN before being able to room-in and go home

I personally don't think all the contractions, ect made any difference. With my history (m/c previous pre-term infant ect) I had a very high chance of having him early anyway. Another factor is that Tristan being my 2nd baby but 5th pregnancy, my cervix was weakened even before conception.

I wish you all the best If you have any questions at all I'm happy to answer

[Rommy'sMummy]

With our DS I was diagnosed with IU at 24 weeks (contrax down to 1 min appart and really strong!). We managed to stop it and I stayed in a delivery room (with my legs crossed) for a week, then home on bed rest and nepethediene (sp) daily with instructions to take more when the contraxs became regular or stronger.

I spent some time in hospt at 27 weeks and 31 weeks. I saw my ob weekly and had weekly scans to check baby, fluid and cervix. My cervix dilated, effaced and waters bulged on and off throughout.

Basically I presented to hospt whenever I felt that contrax were either building in strength or frequency.

Bubs was born at 36 weeks by emerg section without labor developing due to distress with all the contrax - by that time it had been daily contrax for 12 weeks. We were both a bit exhausted.

Yes, he needed help after birth but thats due to a heart condition and not due to early birth. His lungs were fine - we had had several injects of steroids along the way. He was also small for dates - 1.6kg at 36weeks

Hope it settles down for you - it can actually go away or just be niggly but obviously it can lead to pre-term labor too.

Good Luck!

[Rumpleteaser]

I had an irritable uterus at 32 weeks, labour was stopped, I was 1cm dialated, 50% effaced, I was given the steroid injection The hospital kept me over the weekend, by which time I was 2cm dialated, 100% effaced and the bubs head was engaged. I was warned going home could mean premature rupture of membranes, so I stayed in hospital. At 33wks my waters broke, I was monitored for signs of infection then induced at 34 weeks. My DS was born with strong healthy, wt 2.4kg. He stayed in hospital for 2 weeks.

[Nadine]

Sally- Thankyou

Thankyou for your replies ladies

So I guess there is no rule about what the future holds. I could go early or bub could hold on untill the end.

I still have the period/back pain that comes and goes and also hip pain which are new additions to all of this. It is all very annoying! I don't want to call the hospital unnecessarily but then I don't want to play around if there is something more going on.

I noticed that alot of you had your cervix checked. They never checked mine...

[Rommy'sMummy]

Nadine, if you go in again with it and want your cervix checked - ask for it to be checked via ultrasound. I had mine checked this way each time and the reason for it is to not start off anything with an already irritated area. It is just done per vag - far more comfortable than a regular internal too!

I thought I would also let you know the things we werent allowed to do once diagnosed with IU;

# sex! Well we could but only gently, I couldn't orgasm and hubby had to wear a condom! So we decided not to go there at all.

# no swiming or hot showers or baths

# no long walks and not to go more than one hour away from our hospt

# no lifting or exercise

# no shopping or going out etc...

So a bit restricted to home and resting really. I think the sex one is actually an important one as orgasm in the mum can really start things off and sperm has prostaglandin in which can ripen cervix and start off labor, so really good to avoid!

[Rach75]

Rach75- Thanks for your story too I was definately having contractions when I was in hospital because when I was being monitored (shortly after arriving) the numbers on the monitor for a couple of the contractions reached 100. The rest were around the 60-80 mark. I have only had a few that bad since being at home. I guess the main thing is for them not to get regular. Can I ask, how did you know whether to go to hospital or not? (might be a stupid question, sorry)

first time I was already in hopsital, 2nd time my hubby watched me double over in pain and thought this can't be right and whisked me to local hosp, 3rd time I had had a horrible night and went to local dr in tears and he sent me to town I was supposed to have jack in by rescue chopper (I will never know if this one was precautionary because of history or beacause he felt I needed to go)

also when I was in Brisbane they said if I felt odd or something didn't seem right to come on up better safe than sorry

[Nadine]

Thankyou so much Rommy'sMummy and Rach

This morning things seem to have eased. So I am assuming maybe the dehydration had alot to do with it.... I am drinking lots of fluids now to try and keep hydrated. And hopefully it will stay this way untill bub is given the ok to come out.

[Rach75]

I should ahve mentioned keep the water intake up hope bub keeps cooking