Low levels of amniotic fluid can cause problems with how your baby grows, and with how well his lungs develop (Carter 2017). How does oligohydramnios affect my baby?It depends on what's causing the low level of fluid, how little there is, and how far along you are in your pregnancy. In general, an AFI measurement of less than 5cm is considered to be low, from the late second trimester onwards. The average of these measurements is your AFI. Your sonographer will look at the picture of your womb, divide it into four quarters, and measure the amount of fluid in each quarter.
AFI: this stands for amniotic fluid index, a less reliable measurement that some doctors still use.In general, a measurement of less than 2cm is considered to be low, from the late second trimester onwards (Payne 2016, RCOG 2013).
Your sonographer will measure the depth of the largest pocket of amniotic fluid in your uterus (RCOG 2013). MVP: this stands for maximum vertical pocket, and is the most reliable way to measure the fluid.There are two ways the person doing the scan (sonographer) can check your fluid levels: If your midwife or doctor has concerns, she’ll recommend that you have an ultrasound scan. were underweight (with a body mass index (BMI) less than 20) or overweight (with a BMI over 25) before you became pregnant.have certain medical conditions, such as kidney problems, high blood pressure or lupus.have already had a baby who was small for dates or of a low birth weight.So your doctor may also want to check your amniotic fluid levels if you have risk factors for having a low-birth-weight baby, such as if you: Oligohydramnios can be associated with having a baby who is small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Your caregiver will pick this up when she checks the size of your bump with a tape measure at one of your antenatal appointments. How can I tell if I have oligohydramnios?Your doctor or midwife may suspect that your amniotic fluid levels are low if your bump appears smaller than expected. It affects one in 25 pregnant women, rising to one in eight women who go beyond 41 weeks (Payne 2016). Having low amniotic fluid is a fairly common problem. Too little amniotic fluid surrounding your baby is called oligohydramnios, and too much fluid is called polyhydramnios, or hydramnios. From 38 weeks onwards, the fluid gradually begins to reduce, until you're ready to give birth (NHS 2015, Payne 2016). You start off with just a few millilitres, but will have between 800ml and 1 litre by the time you're about 36 weeks pregnant (Carter 2017, Payne 2016). The amount of amniotic fluid increases as your pregnancy progresses. This means the amount of fluid in the amniotic sac normally rises and falls every day. What's a normal level of amniotic fluid?Your baby regularly swallows amniotic fluid and passes it out of his body as urine. keeps your baby at a constant temperature (NHS 2015).helps your baby's lungs and digestive system mature, and his muscles and bones develop.protects your baby from being hurt if you have a blow to your tummy, or your bump is squashed.This is your waters breaking.Īmniotic fluid works in many ways to help your baby develop throughout your pregnancy. The membranes usually break open during labour, when your baby is ready to be born, and fluid flows out. These membranes keep your baby safely sealed in his bag of amniotic fluid. The wall of the amniotic sac is made up of two membranes: the chorion and the amnion. What is amniotic fluid, and what does it do?During pregnancy, your growing baby is cushioned inside a fluid-filled bag (amniotic sac) in your uterus (womb). What can I do if I have oligohydramnios?.How does oligohydramnios affect my baby?.How can I tell if I have oligohydramnios?.What's a normal level of amniotic fluid?.What is amniotic fluid, and what does it do?.
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