Did you know, sometimes pregnant women can experience excess amniotic fluid or polyhydramnios? Polyhydramnios is a condition when there is too much amniotic fluid.
As we know, amniotic fluid is a fluid that surrounds and protects the fetus in the womb. During pregnancy, your baby needs amniotic fluid to grow and develop.
In addition to keeping your baby at a constant, comfortable temperature and offering a layer of cushioning and protection, amniotic fluid is an essential substance for a healthy pregnancy.
Starting in the second trimester of your pregnancy, your baby will start to feel the amniotic fluid in your womb and even do “practice breathing” to start preparing his lungs for the outside world. However, sometimes your body produces too much amniotic fluid – a condition known as polyhydramnios.
What causes polyhydramnios and how can it be prevented? Read this article.
What is Polyhydramnios?
Polyhydramnios (also known as hydramnios) is a pregnancy condition in which there is too much amniotic fluid surrounding the baby in the womb. This extra amniotic fluid tends to slowly build up during the second half of pregnancy.
Most cases of polyhydramnios are mild disorders in pregnant women. Gradually, this extra amniotic fluid will usually disappear on its own without any treatment.
In rare cases when fluid accumulation is severe, it can indicate a problem with the baby, such as the central nervous system, gastrointestinal defects or inability to swallow.
Consistently high amniotic fluid levels can put your pregnancy at risk for premature rupture of membranes , preterm labor , placental abruption , breech presentation, or umbilical cord prolapse, explains What to Expect.
Causes of Polyhydramnios
Unfortunately, it is still not known for certain what causes polyhydramnios. What to Expect writes that about half of cases of pregnant women with polyhydramnios have no known cause.
However, mild polyhydramnios may be caused by a gradual buildup of amniotic fluid during pregnancy.
Moderate to severe polyhydramnios may be caused by one of the following:
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Fetus Has Congenital Defects
Congenital defects affecting the fetus’s digestive tract or central nervous system can cause excess amniotic fluid.
Due to a birth defect, the baby’s ability to swallow amniotic fluid may be impaired. If the baby is unable to swallow, it can cause amniotic fluid to build up.
High blood glucose levels can cause excess amniotic fluid to build up. So, if a pregnant woman has diabetes before or during pregnancy ( gestational diabetes ), she may also have excess amniotic fluid.
Polyhydramnios is a condition that is prone to occur in cases of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome , which is when one of the twins has very little amniotic fluid, while the other twin has too much amniotic fluid.
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Mother and Fetus Blood Types Do Not Match
When a mother has Rh-negative blood, and her baby has Rh-positive blood, this can lead to complications, such as polyhydramnios.
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Problems with Baby’s Heartbeat
This condition is prone to occur if the fetal heartbeat is not normal.
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Infections During Pregnancy
One of the causes of polyhydramnios is an infection that occurs during pregnancy. Get treatment completely if you have any infection during pregnancy.
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Red Blood Cell Deficiency in Infants (Fetal Anemia)
If you are diagnosed with polyhydramnios, your obstetrician will closely monitor your pregnancy to help prevent complications. The treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Mild polyhydramnios may resolve on its own. Severe polyhydramnios may require closer monitoring.
Symptoms of Polyhydramnios that Pregnant Women Should Know
The Mayo Clinic explains that polyhydramnios symptoms occur due to pressure being applied inside the uterus and on nearby organs.
Pregnant women who experience mild polyhydramnios may not experience any symptoms.
However, moderate to severe excess amniotic fluid can cause the following symptoms:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Swelling of the lower extremities and abdominal wall
- Uterine discomfort or contractions
- Fetal malposition, such as breech presentation
- Swelling of the vulva
- Decreased urine production
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Stomach feels tight.
Your doctor may also suspect polyhydramnios if your uterus is too large and you have difficulty feeling your baby’s movements.
Risk Factors & Complications of Excess Amniotic Fluid
Maybe you will ask, what will happen if there is too much amniotic fluid? Research has linked polyhydramnios to an increased risk of certain complications for pregnant women and babies.
Polyhydramnios is a mild disorder that usually does not cause complications during pregnancy. But in severe cases, excess amniotic fluid can cause several risks, such as:
- Premature rupture of membranes
- Premature birth
- Placental abruption (early separation of the placenta from the uterine wall)
- Postpartum hemorrhage (heavy bleeding after delivery)
- Umbilical cord prolapse (umbilical cord comes out of the vagina first)
- Fetal malposition
- Babies die before birth
- premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall
- difficulty breathing
- Caesarean delivery
Possible complications for the baby include:
- Congenital disorders
- Abnormal size or position, which may cause difficulties during delivery.
- A dangerous position of the umbilical cord, which can cause the cord to become trapped on the fetus, limiting oxygen supply.
- Death in the most severe cases.
The earlier in pregnancy polyhydramnios occurs and the greater the amount of excess amniotic fluid, the higher the risk of complications, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Effects of Polyhydramnios on the Fetus
Mild cases of polyhydramnios should not affect the baby. In cases associated with diabetes, the fetus may grow too large for vaginal delivery.
However, in severe cases of polyhydramnios it can lead to premature labor and premature birth. If your healthcare provider believes your condition requires treatment, they will advise you on the best way to ensure you and your baby are cared for.
How to Diagnose Polyhydramnios
How to check and diagnose whether pregnant women have polyhydramnios or not? The NHS health page explains as follows:
- You will have pregnancy check-ups with extra antenatal checks and ultrasound scans to check for any health conditions that may affect you or your baby.
- Polyhydramnios is diagnosed using an ultrasound, which measures the amount of fluid in the amniotic sac. If you have too much amniotic fluid, your practitioner may suggest additional tests, including amniocentesis (to check for chromosomal abnormalities) and blood tests.
- Next, the pregnant woman will undergo tests to find the cause of polyhydramnios, such as a blood test for diabetes in pregnancy or amniocentesis (where some amniotic fluid is removed and tested).
How to Treat Polyhydramnios
If you experience polyhydramnios, your obstetrician will usually recommend that you undergo an ultrasound every week to check the amount of amniotic fluid.
In fact, treatment for excess amniotic fluid depends on the underlying cause, as well as how severe the condition is. Mild cases of polyhydramnios usually do not require any treatment, and can go away on their own.
Severe polyhydramnios may require further monitoring by a doctor. Severe polyhydramnios can usually be treated with a procedure called amnioreduction (suctioning amniotic fluid from the uterus on a regular basis).
If the doctor concludes that the polyhydramnios experienced is caused by the fetal heartbeat, the doctor may prescribe medication to improve the fetal heartbeat.
Meanwhile, the Medical News Today page explains, to treat polyhydramnios, doctors will usually try to reduce the amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus. Doctors can use one of the following methods to reduce the volume of fluid:
- Reduction amniocentesis, also called amnioreduction. This is a procedure in which a doctor removes fluid from the uterus. However, the medical community has not reached a consensus on how much fluid should be removed or how quickly to remove it.
- In more severe cases of polyhydramnios, your doctor may suggest a procedure called therapeutic amniocentesis, in which fluid is removed from the amniotic sac using a needle. He or she may also prescribe medications to help lower the amount of urine your baby produces, which in turn helps reduce the amount of amniotic fluid.
- Medications. These may include prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors or sulindac, which is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
Polyhydramnios can increase the risk of complications, so doctors usually monitor the fetus closely, starting at 32 weeks of gestation.
In some severe cases of polyhydramnios, the doctor may decide to induce labor earlier, at 37 weeks of pregnancy, or even sooner.
Giving Birth with Polyhydramnios, What Should You Pay Attention to?
So what should you pay attention to during labor and delivery if you have polyhydramnios?
The NHS page writes, Mothers will usually be advised to give birth in hospital. This is so that any equipment or care needed for you or your baby is easily available.
You can usually wait for labor to start naturally. Sometimes it may be necessary to induce labor (starting labor with medication). Also, a cesarean section to deliver your baby may be necessary if there is a risk to you or your baby.
Medical News Today explains that pregnant women with polyhydramnios may experience premature contractions, prolonged labor, difficulty breathing, and other problems during labor. This condition can also cause complications in the fetus, including anatomical problems, malposition, and in severe cases, death.
You may experience a lot of fluid loss during labor. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Your baby’s heart rate may also need to be monitored closely during labor.
After birth, your baby will have a check-up to make sure the little one is healthy and they may have some tests. For example, checking for problems with their bowel, and so on.
Popular Questions Regarding Polyhydramnios
Polyhydramnios is a problem that is difficult to prevent. Especially if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes or have diabetes before pregnancy. Apart from that, there are several questions related to the condition. Among them are: .
How many cc of polyhydramnios?
Normal amniotic fluid ranges from 500-1,500 mL (500-1,500 cc). While polyhydramnios if the volume is >1,500 mL or >2,000 mL (>1,500 cc or >2,000 cc).
What is the normal amniotic fluid?
In the first trimester, amniotic fluid ranges from 25-100 mL. Then it increases in the second trimester to around 400 mL. In the third trimester, amniotic fluid can reach 400-1,200 mL.
These are the things that you need to know about polyhydramnios and how to treat it. If you are diagnosed with polyhydramnios, your obstetrician or midwife will monitor your pregnancy closely, to help prevent complications.
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Don’t worry too much, Mom. Polyhydramnios is a mild disorder that can go away on its own. However, severe polyhydramnios may require closer monitoring. Hope this helps!
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Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
