Abnormal amounts of amniotic fluid may cause the health care provider to watch the pregnancy more carefully. Removing a sample of the fluid through amniocentesis can provide information about the sex, health, and development of the fetus.
Placental anatomy and physiology. Gabbe's Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap 1. Gilbert WM. Amniotic fluid disorders. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Amniotic fluid dynamics.
Birth defects. If a baby has physical problems, especially with the kidneys, they may not make enough urine, which leads to low amniotic fluid. Health conditions in mom. Maternal complications such as the following can cause low amniotic fluid levels:.
Post-term pregnancy. Amniotic fluid naturally starts decreasing after 36 weeks of pregnancy, and is very likely to get too low after 42 weeks of pregnancy. By that point, though, everyone — and especially you — is probably so eager to meet baby that being induced or otherwise delivering will be more than welcome. Some medications , especially those used to treat high blood pressure, may cause low amniotic fluid. How can you know for sure if you have low amniotic fluid levels?
This will require — you guessed it — a visit to your doctor. They can use an ultrasound to measure if there is enough fluid. The ultrasound technician will scan your uterus to find and measure the single deepest pocket of amniotic fluid they can. A normal measurement is 2 to 8 centimeters cm.
A finding of less than 2 cm indicates low amniotic fluid at this stage. After 24 weeks of pregnancy, the most common way to measure amniotic fluid is called the AFI, or amniotic fluid index.
The AFI is measured exactly like the single deepest pocket method, but the ultrasound technician will measure fluid pockets from four different parts of the uterus. These measurements will be added together to get the AFI. Treatment for low amniotic fluid will depend on the cause and how far along you are. Some causes of low amniotic fluid have a simple solution, but others may require more intensive intervention.
Anytime during your pregnancy, drinking a lot of water can make a huge difference. During pregnancy, amniotic fluid provides a cushion that protects the baby from injury and allows room for growth, movement and development.
Amniotic fluid also keeps the umbilical cord from being compressed between the baby and the uterine wall. In addition, the amount of amniotic fluid reflects the baby's urine output — a measure of a baby's well-being.
If you have low amniotic fluid, what happens next will depend on the cause, severity, your baby's gestational age, your health and your baby's health. If you have low amniotic fluid and you're 36 to 37 weeks pregnant, the safest treatment might be delivery. If you're less than 36 weeks pregnant, your health care provider will review your baby's health, discuss why you might have low amniotic fluid and recommend monitoring your pregnancy with fetal ultrasounds.
He or she also might recommend drinking more fluids — especially if you're dehydrated. If you have low amniotic fluid during labor, your health care provider might consider a procedure in which fluid is placed in the amniotic sac amnioinfusion. This is typically done during labor if there are fetal heart rate abnormalities.
Amnioinfusion is done by introducing saline into the amniotic sac through a catheter placed in the cervix during labor. Low amniotic fluid during pregnancy is a serious condition. If you have any concerns about the amount of fluid around your baby, talk with your health care provider.
There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Meconium is the name of the first bowel movement. Meconium in the fluid can be problematic. It can cause a breathing problem called meconium aspiration syndrome that occurs when the meconium enters the lungs.
In some cases, babies will require treatment after they are born. Amniotic fluid is responsible for :. Normally, the level of amniotic fluid is at its highest around 36 of pregnancy, measuring around 1 quart.
This level decreases as birth nears. When the waters break, the amniotic sac tears. The amniotic fluid contained within the sac then begins to leak out via the cervix and vagina. The waters usually break toward the end of the first stage of labor. When this happens, it is time to contact the health provider as delivery may be imminent.
Polyhydramnios, also referred to as hydramnios or amniotic fluid disorder, is when there is too much fluid. Low levels of amniotic fluid, referred to as oligohydramnios, occur in 4 percent of all pregnancies and 12 percent of post-date pregnancies. Oligohydramnios is present when the amniotic fluid index AFI seen on ultrasound measures less than 5 cm a normal index is cm and the maximum vertical pocket MVP is less than 2 cm. This may be evident in cases of leaking fluid from a tear in the amniotic membranes, measuring small for a certain stage of pregnancy or if the fetus is not moving as much as it would be expected to.
It may also occur in mothers with a history of any of the following medical conditions:. Oligohydramnios can happen during any trimester but is a more concerning problem during the first 6 months of pregnancy. During that time, there is a higher risk of birth defects, loss of pregnancy, preterm birth, or neonatal loss of life. The rest of the pregnancy will be monitored closely to ensure normal development is taking place.
In some cases, doctors may decide that labor will need to be induced, in order to protect the mother or the child.
0コメント