Polyhydramnios Or Abundant Amniotic Fluid – Being Parents

Polyhydramnios , better known as abundant amniotic fluid, is a build-up of the fluid that surrounds the baby during pregnancy and provides all the proteins necessary for its development.

In the event that its quantity is exaggerated and outside the norm, it can cause problems for the mother or the fetus.

What are the causes of polyhydramnios?

Although specialists sometimes fail to identify the cause of this condition in some pregnant women, some of these factors, according to their research, lead to an increased risk of polyhydramnios. Among them are:

• Multiple pregnancy. In this case, one baby may have more amniotic fluid than the other.
• Maternal diabetes
• Big babies
• Neurological problems in the baby. Example of hydrocephalus, where there may be difficulty swallowing.

• The baby has a low heart rate.
• Fetal malformations such as spinal cord defects, brain or gastrointestinal and urinary obstructions.
• The presence of a cleft lip which can cause swallowing problems and therefore a lack of fluid in the uterus.
• Incompatibility of the blood group between mother and baby.

Signs and symptoms

Often, women who suffer from polyhydramnios do not have any symptoms, especially when they are in a mild condition, but if they fall into a serious condition, they may start to suffer from the following symptoms:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Abdominal pain
• Inflammation of the abdominal wall or lower extremities
• Uterine contractions
• Vomiting
• Brighter or tighter abdomen, more than normal for the period

How to diagnose a case of polyhydramnios?

The best way for a pregnant woman to know she has polyhydramnios is to have an ultrasound, which must be done by a specialist.

This will give you an approximate Amniotic Fluid Index (ALI), which should not exceed 25 centimeters during the third trimester. Otherwise, you would present in excess of it causing damage.

So, after having a complete ultrasound to check for fetal malformations, the doctor should determine if the abundance of his amniotic fluid is due to hereditary causes.

So, they check the family background.  In addition, they can also do glucose tolerance tests, hemorrhages, anemia and maternal serological tests.

Risk factors

There are risk factors that can make problems with polyhydramnios worse during pregnancy. Therefore, it is important that the mother attends all the check-ups scheduled by her doctor from the start of the pregnancy.  Below are the risk factors:

• Postpartum hemorrhage. This case occurs as a result of severe bleeding after childbirth.
• Baby died. Polyhydramnios can cause the baby to die after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Premature delivery. This happens when the baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
• Detachment of the placenta. This detachment is considered serious. This is because the baby stops receiving oxygen and nutrients from the uterus, which leads to dangerous bleeding.

• Bad position of the fetus. Normally, the fetus is placed face down and facing the mother’s back. However, in cases of polyhydramnios, this position is usually affected. Caesarean section is then considered a safer option for the birth.
• A bad position of the fetus can be a risk factor by the presence of amniotic fluid in abundance.

What is the treatement ?

In the case of light polyhydramnios, no treatment is necessary. On the other hand, once the doctor reports a serious case to the mother, it is essential to act in time.

Some of the most effective treatments include: manual reduction of amniotic fluid, taking medication to keep the baby from urinating less, or, if the days approach, early delivery.

Likewise, it is recommended to start antenatal surveillance at 32 weeks with a complete test. During this, the mother must remain calm to obtain precise results, without alteration. In addition, if you are diabetic, take into account the sugar level in order to avoid the death of the fetus.

Pregnancy without complications

Avoiding cases of polyhydramnios is an impossible act. Indeed, it appears without warning, either by an anomaly, family causes and even without reason.

For this reason, it is important that pregnant women take care of each phase of their pregnancy. This will reduce the risk that this condition can pose to the baby and his general health.

In conclusion, having healthy habits away from nicotine and with a good diet will help the mother to maintain the desired weight. In addition, it will reduce the risk of diabetes and provide essential vitamins for the healthy development of the fetus.