DENVER, June 29,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Supreme Court Justice Alito
referenced The PPROM Foundation this past week in his dissenting
opinion on Moyle v. United
States and Idaho v. United
States. The PPROM Foundation is a national non-profit
organization dedicated to supporting families impacted by Preterm
Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM).
Right now, in many states in this country, a person diagnosed
with PPROM is stuck in a medical and legal gray zone. There are
limited treatment options when the amniotic sac or "water" breaks
in the first or second trimester. Expectant Management or "watching
and waiting" with purposeful medical oversight may be appropriate
if the pregnancy is stable. However, there are situations in which
delivery is necessary to save the life or health of the pregnant
person. If someone exhibits clinical signs of infection after
PPROM, the intervention is immediate delivery. This is true at both
16 weeks and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Infection is not inevitable in
PPROM, but inaction or delay can be fatal.
PPROM families must have the freedom to make informed decisions
about their pregnancies, the right to advocate for themselves, and
to receive person-centered high-risk pregnancy and neonatal care.
Families must have access to specialized medical and emergency care
in their local area or state. Families need support during and
after the traumatic experience of delivering a much-wanted child
too soon, carrying a child that may not survive, coming home with
empty arms after a loss, or raising medically fragile children who
need intensive care to survive. Families need access to mental
health care during and after the pregnancy to address the tragedy,
trauma, and loss that often persists for years. While there are
success stories and positive outcomes, they are not the singular
reality.
We are fortunate to live in a time when advances in maternal and
neonatal care have improved survival in the periviable period. The
landscape is different post-Dobbs. We are losing
experienced, passionate medical professionals and their
institutional expertise, further impacting access to care. Peer
support organizations are at risk of legal action, incarceration,
and fines for supporting their community.
A diagnosis of PPROM is always devastating. High-risk pregnancy
care and emergency treatment, which may include
induction/termination/abortion, is essential. Living in the
proverbial gray zone increases the risk of maternal morbidity and
mortality and increases the likelihood of adverse outcomes in
PPROM.
One day a solution, treatment, or prevention will be identified.
Until then, we will continue providing resources and support to
families affected by PPROM.
Know the symptoms of PPROM in pregnancy:
- A gush of fluid from the vagina
- Persistent sense of fluids leaking or feeling of wetness on the
underwear
- Watery or blood-tinged discharge
- Low amniotic fluid on ultrasound
If you are pregnant with symptoms of PPROM, contact your medical
provider immediately.
The PPROM Foundation is a non-profit organization 501(c)(3) that
provides specialized support to families facing a serious and
potentially life-threatening complication of pregnancy where the
amniotic sac or "water" breaks before 37 weeks (Preterm Premature
Rupture of Membranes or PPROM). PPROM can occur as early as the
first trimester and is the leading identifiable cause of preterm
birth. The PPROM Foundation provides patient and provider
resources and manages a patient registry. For more information
contact support@aapprom.org or
visit www.aapprom.org.
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SOURCE The PPROM Foundation