Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid - causes, symptoms and treatment

Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid - causes, symptoms and treatment -

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Being pregnant is an amazing feeling, is not it? It glows with happiness and joy. It 'an incredible feeling to know a little' life is growing inside you. But pregnancy is fraught with risks. While most pregnancies go through smoothly, or with a few minor issues that doctors may face in a hurry, you can not discount more pregnancy complications such as oligohydramnios or low levels of amniotic fluid.

Low amniotic fluid can occur without a cause, or because of a health problem. Whatever the underlying reason, you must request a oligohydramnios treatment to ensure a healthy and safe pregnancy. Unfortunately, all cases of oligohydramnios does not end up in a healthy pregnancy. So, we, at Momjunction, we believe you should know everything about oligohydramnios so that you can prevent and, if possible, be prepared for that you should be diagnosed with it. So, read on and find the relevant information here.

How to Create Your body amniotic Fluid?

Before look oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid, you must first understand how your body does amniotic fluid.

After the fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall, a fluid-filled bag called amniotic sac surrounds the baby. This lot consists of two membranes - chorion and amnion. The bag keeps your baby tightly sealed in a liquid pool, which is the amniotic fluid. Initially, the body makes amniotic fluid through the water that passes through the circulatory system. The amniotic fluid begins to form within days of conception.

The initial composition of the amniotic fluid is water. However, in the first part of the second trimester, the baby will begin to swallow the liquid and expelling such as urine, which is a continuous process. It may sound disgusting, but by the time your water breaks and the child is ready for the birth, most of the amniotic fluid is your little urine!

Role Amniotic fluid:

The amniotic fluid plays a significant role in keeping your child healthy and safe during pregnancy

keeps your baby warm and comfortable device inside. lap

It acts as a shock absorber and distribute pressure if the stomach maintains a blow or is squeezed

amniotic fluid functions as a lubricant for parts body keep your child separate

the fluid will help your child develop healthy digestive system and lungs

and allows you to connect your unhindered movement child to exercise his limbs and strengthen muscles

the fluid protects the child from infections

Your child also has a role in the maintenance of amniotic fluid levels in your lap. By the time the baby is born, it will consume up to 15 ounces of fluid every day. However, sometimes the balance goes wrong, and you can end up with the amniotic fluid less than you should have ideally. The condition is known as oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid, and it is a rather dangerous condition. So, you should contact your doctor immediately.

[ Read: Water Break During Pregnancy ]

How much amniotic fluid you should have?

As we said before, the baby constantly swallows amniotic fluid and passes it in the form of urine. Then the level of amniotic fluid in the uterus increases and decreases each day.

As pregnancy progresses, so does the amount of amniotic fluid. Early pregnancy, you will only have a few milliliters of amniotic fluid. By the time you are 36 weeks pregnant, you will have anywhere from 800 ml to 1,000 ml of amniotic fluid. And, when you enter the 38th week of pregnancy, the amount of amniotic fluid begins to decrease gradually until you are ready to go into labor and delivery the baby

The understanding Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid :.

Oligohydramnios is a condition in which you have less than the required amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus. Your OB / GYN can measure the volume of the fluid by using many different methods. The methods commonly used are the amniotic fluid index measurement (AFI) and the deep pocket measures

If during the measurement, the doctor finds the following, the diagnosis will be oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid :.

you are less than 5 cm of amniotic fluid

at 32 to 36 weeks of pregnancy, the volume of fluid in the amniotic sac is less than 500 ml

There is no fluid 2 to 3 cm pocket depth

must understand that you are not alone. Around 1 in 10 women tend to have low levels of amniotic fluid, but only 4 of 100 women diagnosed with oligohydramnios. You can develop this condition at any time during pregnancy, but it is usually more common in the last trimester of pregnancy. In the case in which the pregnancy exceeds the expiration date, it is probably one of the 12 out of 100 which has a reason to worry. Oligohydramnios in this stage can cause complications

Causes of Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid :.

In most cases, unfortunately, the doctors do not know the exact cause of oligohydramnios. However, if you have low amniotic fluid, the reasons could be any of the following:

1. Your water broke:

If your water breaks, it is not necessary that there gush. Sometimes, it gradually loses because the amniotic sac develops a tear. If your water breaks before 37 weeks gestation, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to protect you and your baby against infection and prolong the pregnancy long enough for your child to develop so that the doctor can induce labor. Sometimes, inducing labor is not necessary, as the labor starts naturally.

2. Placental problems:

If you have a condition that prevents the placenta from the supply of blood and proper nutrients, it can develop oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid. Conditions that affect your placenta include pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure, lupus, and diabetes. It is also possible to develop a problem with the placenta if pregnancy is greater than 42 weeks.

If the doctor diagnoses a problem with the placenta, your and your baby's health will be monitored carefully. You may need to have regular scans to check the levels of your amniotic fluid.

3. Is it taking some medications:

Some medications can affect your amniotic fluid, causing the drop levels. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, and ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure are such drugs. If you are pregnant, your doctor will not prescribe these drugs, and if you do take them, can occur oligohydramnios. So make sure before taking any drug or medication, you run over your doctor.

4. Your child has a health problem:

Remember that your baby swallowing amniotic fluid and then passes it in the form of urine. If you have oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid, is of the child can not everything is passing off or produce a sufficient amount of urine. This is an indication the child may have a problem with his urinary system or kidneys.

If a fetus has a kidney or a problem of the urinary system, it is indicative of a chromosomal abnormality. In the case in which, there is the anomaly, the doctor will be able to find out when you have the anomaly scan ultrasound at 20 weeks of gestation.

5. There is a problem with an identical twin:

Identical twins share the placenta, and this can sometimes affect the level of amniotic fluid. Usually, a double gets compared to another more blood, leading to a condition called twin-twin transfusion syndrome. If this is not the case, you have oligohydramnios

In such circumstances, your doctor will ask you to drink plenty of water to increase the levels of fluid in the body, and also, get adequate rest.

Risk factors of oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid:

If you have certain health conditions, increases the likelihood of developing oligohydramnios. Some of these conditions are:

Diabetes
Dehydration
chronic high blood pressure
Pre-eclampsia
Lupus
Hypertension

Symptoms Of Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid:

You may or may not have a low-level symptoms of amniotic fluid. If you experience symptoms, some of which are as follows:

leakage of amniotic fluid from the vagina. This occurs when there is a tear in the amniotic sac. So, you will notice a constant humidity

Reduction of your uterine size, also known as the fundal height. This causes your uterus to be smaller than it should be for your gestational age

The doctor is a reduction in amniotic fluid levels during an ultrasound

Remember that low amniotic fluid symptoms are similar to some other medical conditions. So, you do not get worked up. Let your doctor make a confirmed diagnosis, in order to ensure you receive the right treatment [1]

problems because of Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid :.

When there is oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid in your first or second trimester, can cause serious complications. You can also get complications in the third quarter, but the doctors are better equipped to manage their

Some of the problems that oligohydramnios causes are :.

1. Birth Defects:

Your child develops severe birth defects, such as the complete absence of external or internal organs. You child may also have a malformation of the bones, such as club foot and hip dysplasia.

2. Stillbirth:

Oligohydramnios can cause death in utero of your baby after 20 weeks of gestation. Your child may even die shortly after birth.

[ Read: Preventive Measures To Avoid Stillbirth ]

3. Miscarriage :.

This condition can also cause the death of your baby inside your womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy

4. Premature Birth:

Your child can be born before completing 37 weeks of gestation. Remember premature babies have low birth weight and their bodies are fully matured. This increases the risk of death

If the doctor diagnoses oligohydramnios during the third trimester, you may experience the following issues :.

restricted growth of your child

compression of the umbilical cord at the time of labor or delivery. Remember the cord blood carries oxygen and nutrients to your baby. So if it is compressed, your child does not get enough oxygen and nutrients

may need to undergo a Caesarean section, as there may not be time to induce or wait for the normal delivery

[ Read: Risks Of Preterm Labor ]

Diagnosis Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid:

The doctor will ask many questions about health and any possible chronic problem health. In addition, the doctor will require several diagnostic tests to check for fetal abnormalities. Some of the tests your doctor will perform for oligohydramnios diagnosis or low amniotic fluid include:

1. Ultrasound:

Doctors use ultrasound to make a differential diagnosis. The scans allow the doctor to see the bladder and kidneys of your baby and exclude the possibility of ureteral obstruction, renal agenesis, and cystic dysplasia. The doctor may also use a particular type of ultrasound called Doppler ultrasound. This helps to identify placental insufficiency.

[ Read: Ultrasound During Pregnancy ]

2. amniotic fluid index (AFI):

amniotic fluid index helps the doctor to measure the volume of amniotic fluid in your uterus. This is the most commonly used tests. Typically, it comes to ultrasound, which is a safe and reliable method to measure the volume of amniotic fluid. The procedure helps your doctor to measure the single deepest pocket of amniotic fluid and then come up with the volume of amniotic fluid.

For this test, you will lie on your back while the doctor runs the ultrasound transducer over your belly. This test requires a lot of experience and expertise as excessive pressure on your abdomen can cause poor fluid measurement and if the transducer is not held perpendicular to the floor, the measure to increase artificially.

3. Sterile speculum examination:

As mentioned earlier, you can develop oligohydramnios whether to support a tear in the amniotic sac membranes. This can cause the fluid to flow out of the bag, with a consequent low level of amniotic fluid. The doctor may perform a sterile speculum examination to check that the range of motion.

4. Maximum vertical Pocket:

This particular diagnostic test allows your doctor to check the amniotic fluid levels in the deepest part of your uterus. The doctor uses ultrasound to check the deepest part of your uterus, which should be free of fetal parts and umbilical cord.

5. Blood tests:

Blood tests can also give doctors an idea of low amniotic fluid. Tests such as maternal serum screening can help detect low levels of amniotic fluid and also give the doctor an indication of whether your baby has congenital problems, such as spina bifida and Down syndrome.

[ Read: Amniocentesis Test during pregnancy ]

6. Check the amniotic wrinkles:

If you have twins, you can have an amniotic wrinkle, which can bring the doctor to believe that your uterus has a sufficient amount of amniotic fluid for both children when, in fact, a child will have less than the other.

checking for amniotic wrinkles with medical attention can find out if one twin is always insufficient amniotic fluid. Usually, this can happen when the intertwin membrane folds, causing amniotic wrinkles. This results in reduced amniotic fluid for a double. Sometimes, the wrinkle can manifest itself in the form of a cocoon or an intrauterine end. Here, a double the other twin remains suspended in the amniotic space, causing the baby to have less fluid suspended

Treat Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid :.

If you develop oligohydramnios during the third quarter, and is mild, it needs a treatment. Your doctor will check your baby's movement, heart rate, and lung growth closely with the aid of ultrasound

On the other hand, if you develop oligohydramnios during the first or second trimester, you It may take the following treatment :.

1. amnioinfusion:

If your doctor recommends amnioinfusion, you will receive an infusion of sodium chloride solution at room temperature. You will receive an intrauterine catheter through which the sodium chloride solution is infused in your amniotic cavity.

2. Vesico-amniotic shunt:

If your child has obstructive uropathy which results in low levels of amniotic fluid, the doctor will have to divert your child's urine using vesicles shunt amniotic. This can effectively manage the lower levels, but there are doubts about the ability of the shunt 'to ensure the proper functioning of the lungs and kidneys of the child.

3. Fluid Injections:

As the name suggests, you will receive fluids shots. These injections are given using amniocentesis and temporary help increase amniotic fluid levels. The oligohydramnios treatment method allows the doctor to understand your baby's anatomy better so that when low levels occur in the future will be better equipped to handle it.

4. Maternal Hydration:

With the help of IV and oral fluids, doctors to increase amniotic fluid levels. So do not be surprised if your doctor tells you to drink plenty of water. This rehydration works well in cases of mild oligohydramnios.

[ Read: CBC Test During Pregnancy ]

5. Bed rest:

If you are diagnosed with mild to moderate oligohydramnios or low levels of amniotic fluid, the doctor will recommend an appropriate bed rest. Along with proper hydration, bed rest helps in increasing the intravascular space in your uterus, thereby facilitating an increase in amniotic fluid levels.

6. Medical Termination of pregnancy:

If you have severe oligohydramnios during the first trimester of pregnancy, the doctor suggested terminating the pregnancy. This is because your child will have severe birth defects and even the chances of survival are minimal.

During oligohydramnios treatment or level of amniotic fluid, the doctor will involve a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine. This is especially true if the doctor is able to find a cause for the low levels of amniotic fluid, and is also your child has fetal hydrops and congenital malformations.

If your doctor detects congenital abnormalities in the growing child, it may also suggest genetic counseling. And when the baby is born, your OB / GYN will involve neonatologist, pediatric surgeon, pediatric nephrologist, a pediatric cardiologist and genetic specialists to aid in your small child care.

complications due to Oligohydramnios or low Amniotic fluid:

Low amniotic fluid or oligohydramnios can lead to serious complications for the baby, which include:

syndrome of amniotic band

pulmonary hypoplasia

higher probability of fetal infection occurs if the low level due to rupture of the amniotic membrane

fetal compression syndrome

These complications can negatively affect the growth and development of your baby and also pose a risk for pregnancy.

[ Read: Intraamniotic Infection During Pregnancy ]

of Oligohydramnios prognosis or low amniotic fluid:

The oligohydramnios prognosis depends primarily on what stage of pregnancy It develops the condition. If it occurs during the early stages of pregnancy, the prognosis is not good. The chances of your surviving children are very poor. fetal death rate due to oligohydramnios in the second quarter is between 80 and 0%.

If you are concerned about how low levels of amniotic fluid during the current pregnancy will affect your future pregnancies, then you should know the chances of recurrence of oligohydramnios in the future will depend on the cause. So it is important your doctor to find out the exact cause and provide the right treatment. That said, sometimes there is no reason for low levels of amniotic fluid. Therefore, your doctor will start with a broad-spectrum treatment to ensure optimal results

tips to prevent Oligohydramnios or low amniotic fluid :.

You can not prevent oligohydramnios if the causes are not known. However, you can take steps to reduce the chances of developing this condition. Some of the measures you can take to prevent oligohydramnios include:

Drink enough fluids during the day to avoid dehydration

Talk to your doctor before taking any medication. This also applies to herbal supplements and vitamins

eat a healthy diet. Get a nutritionist to create a diet plan for you, especially if you are diabetic

Quit Smoking

Exercise regularly

stick to your prenatal care so that the doctor can detect problems or fetal abnormalities early and take appropriate measures

[ Read: Simple Exercises For Pregnant Women ]

in conclusion:

Oligohydramnios or low levels of amniotic fluid may be a sensitive issue with almost no complications, or it can be a serious problem that requires constant and careful monitoring of mother and fetus. In the event that the doctor diagnoses oligohydramnios, be sure to keep all your appointments. Also, talk to your doctor if you have any doubt or query. Keep an eye out for any sign of a problem with the pregnancy. If you detect any moisture from the vagina, it could mean amniotic fluid leaks out. Do not wait. Call your OB / GYN right away.

Were you aware of oligohydramnios or amniotic fluid down when you were pregnant? She was diagnosed with this condition during pregnancy? What treatment did you receive? We would like to hear from you so feel free to comment below

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