Amniotic fluid plays an important role during pregnancy; It supports baby’s growth and development. The levels of fluid could vary from low to high. This time, we will be focusing on low amniotic fluid, its meaning and possible outcomes.
After conception, amniotic sac starts to form around the baby. Soon, the sac fills with the amniotic fluid. Before the second trimester of pregnancy, amniotic fluid is just a water that passes from mother’s circulatory system. Gradually with growth, baby starts to swallow amniotic fluid and excrete it as urine. Following this cycle, amniotic fluid finally becomes fetal urine and the levels of it depend a lot upon a baby.
Amniotic fluid is responsible for :
In certain situations and on certain stages of pregnancy, low amniotic fluid levels could represent a problem. The condition is also referred to as oligohydramnios when the amniotic fluid level is too low.
If mother is leaking a fluid, experiences pregnancy complications, weights too small or doesn’t feel baby’s activity, doctors may become suspicious of oligohydramnios.
Amniotic fluid index is the way to measure fluid levels. Through ultrasound, sonographer will add up the measures from different sections of uterus and calculate the amniotic fluid index. Result should not be lower than 5 centimeters.
Usually, the level of amniotic fluid is the highest before the last trimester of pregnancy. As the due date approaches, the fluid will gradually decrease. Low amniotic fluid and oligohydramnios are most common during the last trimester of pregnancy or when mother is past her due date.
Because the amniotic fluid has a huge contribution in developing baby’s limbs and muscles, having low amniotic fluid levels in the first half of the gestation, could lead to more serious complications. They include damage to baby’s organs and unfortunately can also result in miscarriage or stillbirth.
If low amniotic fluid levels or oligohydramnios is present during the second half of the gestation, complications may include preterm labour, baby being too small, labour complications (and the need of c -section).
Baby’s health and amniotic fluid levels will be regularly controlled after the diagnose through ultrasounds and non-stress tests. When being close to the due date, delivery and induced labour is what the most of the doctors will recommend. Amnioinfusion is the procedure that raises the level of fluid with the help of catheter. The process helps to lower the chances of complicated labour and c-section.
As soon as pregnant women notice the leakage, they should immediately contact their healthcare providers. On the other hand, it is also crucial to attend prenatal checkups regularly and in case of surrogacy pregnancy, frequently ensure that the gestation is progressing as supposed.
The word infertility, at first glance, may sound like something terrifying. Couples become stressed after several unsuccessful efforts and start to give up their hope. Rule number one is to never overreact and don’t get depressed about the situation that … Continue reading
Both genders are equally likely to experience fertility issues. To give you an impression of how common male infertility is, it affects approximately 7 % of men’s population. To define shortly, male who can not cause fertile female’s pregnancy, probably … Continue reading
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormone imbalance that can lead to fertility problems in females. It is in the list of treatable causes of female infertility and can be the result of wrong lifestyle choices. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is … Continue reading
Endometriosis is a pretty common issue among females who have fertility problems. It doesn’t always cause infertility, but is definitely the condition to be aware of. What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition, when tissue that is supposed to line the … Continue reading
Miscarriage is defined as a loss of pregnancy during the first 20 weeks. Unfortunately it is a common experience. To overcome the emotional stress and fears associated with this term, it is a huge step forward to be familiar with … Continue reading
Stillbirth or fetal death is a loss of the pregnancy. It is not a very common occurrence, but unfortunately remains as a very painful experience for many parents. Reasons and risk factors that lead to stillbirth are various and it … Continue reading
Pregnancy is a very special period that needs a lot of attention. A female body undergoes a number of changes during the gestation. It is a common experience to have mild headaches, nausea, dizziness and other minor discomforts. However if … Continue reading
Journey to parenthood is sometimes full of obstacles and challenges. Before reaching a healthy pregnancy, female organism has to complete several complicated stages. It happens that our bodies are not always capable of dealing with their tasks. Implantation failure is … Continue reading
Can we estimate results of In Vitro Fertilization? What are the chances of a successful embryo transfer? What do embryo quality and grading mean? Do they tell anything about possible outcomes? These are the questions intended parents worry about the most. … Continue reading
Nowadays, intended parents have an access to a number of information. This is logical, because future parents in need of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, have to be familiar with every single aspect of this process. The primary subject … Continue reading
