Contents:
- Medical Video: Amniocentesis (Amniotic Fluid Test)
- What is polyhydramnios?
- What causes too much amniotic fluid?
- What are the risks of having too much amniotic fluid?
- How do you find out?
- How do you deal with polyhydroamnios?
Medical Video: Amniocentesis (Amniotic Fluid Test)
During the umpteenth prenatal visit, the doctor says that the size of your stomach is bigger than the gestational age because the amniotic fluid is too much. Too much amniotic condition is called polyhydramnios. Is this dangerous?
What is polyhydramnios?
Polyhydramnios is a medical term used to describe the condition of pregnant women who have too much amniotic fluid during their pregnancy. Amniotic fluid is said to be too much if it exceeds 2 liters. The incidence of polyhydramnios is low, only about 1% of all pregnancies.
What causes too much amniotic fluid?
In general, there are several main reasons why you can have too much amniotic fluid, namely:
- Abnormalities in the fetus
- Gestational diabetes
- Twin pregnancy
- Drug use (eg, propylthiouracil)
Fetal abnormalities are the least common cause of the four causes above. If your doctor suspects you have polyhydramnios, the first thing your doctor might do is make sure there are no abnormalities in your baby. Abnormalities that often occur in fetuses with polyhydramnios mothers are neural tube defects, abnormalities or blockages in the upper gastrointestinal tract, and chromosomal abnormalities.
To rule out the possibility of gestational diabetes, your doctor may recommend that you check blood sugar. Some cases of polyhydroamnios have no obvious cause
What are the risks of having too much amniotic fluid?
Polyhydramnios will increase the risk of complications in labor, such as:
- Position of breech baby
- Umbilical cord prolapse, which is the umbilical cord that comes out first from the uterus to the vagina before the baby is born
- Postpartum bleeding
- Premature labor
- Premature rupture of membranes
How do you find out?
Pregnant women who experience this condition may feel that their stomach is enlarging quickly or greater than their gestational age. As a result of the magnitude of pregnancy, it is not uncommon for women with polydramnios to feel tight and experience back pain. On a physical examination by a doctor, the doctor will also find it difficult to feel the fetal parts of the mother's stomach because it is blocked by a lot of fluid. In addition, a woman's stomach with polyhydramnios usually looks more shiny than normal skin.
In routine ultrasound examinations, there are two ways to measure the amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus. First, use Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI). This method measures the amount of fluid in four different regions of the uterus. Normal AFI numbers range from 8 to 24 cm. This number can vary depending on the age of your pregnancy, because the amniotic fluid will increase until the third trimester, then decrease nearing the time of labor. The second way is to measure the deepest fluid sac in the uterus, a number above 8 cm, indicating the presence of polyhydramnios.
How do you deal with polyhydroamnios?
Mild to moderate polyhydramnios does not require special handling. but it needs to be monitored regularly. While in severe cases, treatment in the form of removing a little liquid or with medication may be needed.
You may have to control your pregnancy more often if you have too much amniotic fluid. In addition, your doctor may recommend delivery by caesarean section if your baby is not allowed to be born normally - because it is too big or breech position.
