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Pregnancy is a very particular moment in the life of any woman. It is when the greatest transformations occur in your body, after all, a lifetime is being generated within you. So it is also not uncommon for there to be a multitude of doubts that arise throughout all the weeks in which the baby is being born in her womb. Problems such as excess fluid in pregnancy are an example of a rare phenomenon and precisely for this reason generate several questions. We decided to gather the main doubts about this condition to explain why this occurs and how to deal with this type of situation. But first, it is necessary to understand the functioning of the woman’s body during pregnancy.
What is the Function of Amniotic Fluid?
The amniotic fluid is nothing more than that “water” that surrounds the baby throughout the pregnancy. It is the liquid that flows when there is a rupture of the bag and the announcement of labor. It is produced by the placenta and makes it possible for the baby to move more freely within the uterus, also stimulating the beginning of its movements. The amniotic fluid is absorbed by the baby both through its skin, mainly at the beginning of the management, and by the fluid ingestion.
Although many do not know, this liquid has many functions and is extremely important for pregnancy. Some of its main functions are:
- Maintaining baby’s temperature
- Protection against strokes along with the placenta
- Protection against possible bacteria
- Stimulating the baby’s digestive and respiratory development
How to know if there is excess liquid?
To know if there is excess fluid in pregnancy, it is necessary to know what is considered normal. It is estimated that this amount increases according to the evolution of pregnancy, reaching between 800 and 1000ml at its peak. Before labor, however, that amount begins to decrease and the amount that falls when the bag bursts is already less than that.
What will assess the excess or lack of fluid in pregnancy is the ultrasound exam . Of course, this is accompanied by some signs, such as very tight skin and a very sudden growth of the uterus. The doctor will also assess the size of the uterus in comparison to the stage of pregnancy and may raise suspicions about the excess or lack of amniotic fluid.
Causes of Excess Fluid in Pregnancy
Excessive amniotic fluid, also called polyhydramnios, can have several causes. Among them are:
- Incompatibility of the HR factor of the mother and baby
- Diseases like syphilis and rubella, which end up causing infections
- Multiple pregnancy, especially when there are identical twins
- Changes in the baby’s chromosomes
- Maternal diabetes
The causes of excess fluid in pregnancy are not always related to illness or something negative. In the case of multiple pregnancies , for example, the fact that the woman’s body needs to produce more fluid, often ends up causing it to go a little overboard. However, it is always important to remember that risks exist.
Risks of Excess Fluid in Pregnancy
The main risk of polyhydramnios can be premature delivery , since the excess of liquid causes the wall of the uterus to become more extended, consequently inducing delivery. The big problem is that the baby can be born without being fully developed, thus having minor cardiac or respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma, for example. There is also the possibility that the umbilical cord will suffer a lot of pressure due to the excess of liquid, making it difficult to transport oxygen to the fetus and causing even more serious problems.
Is There Treatment For It?
When the excess fluid is identified, the doctor will do some tests to see if you should treat the mother for this problem to be resolved. The initial treatment will then be for the
illness that affects the mother. Some types of medication can cause the amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus to decrease. In more severe cases, it is possible to drain the liquid , but this is a very delicate procedure and can have serious consequences if it is not performed perfectly and exactly for this reason it is only done in extreme cases where the baby or mother is at serious risk .
Can this interfere with childbirth?
The main interference of excess fluid in pregnancy is when the delivery will occur, since this condition ends up inducing a premature delivery. Still, there are other problems that can occur, such as the danger of the umbilical cord being ruptured by the strong pressure of excess fluid. The detachment of the placenta and postpartum hemorrhage are other problems arising from polyhydramnios and can cause the woman’s uterus has difficulties to return to normal size. For these reasons, when there are cases of excess fluid, doctors usually recommend cesarean surgery, as it prevents this type of complication from occurring.
Problems such as excess fluid in pregnancy are quite rare, but that does not mean that it is impossible or that you should not know more about it. In fact, the more inside you are about the functions of a woman’s body during pregnancy, the more easily your doubts will be clarified and you may be less concerned about possible problems. Pregnancy is a phase full of good times, but it is also necessary to overcome the bad ones because in the end it will always be worth it.
See Also: Amniotic Fluid – Low or Excessive Does it Have a Problem?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
