What is the amniotic fluid index at 27 weeks of pregnancy?

All women will worry about the development of the fetus in their belly during pregnancy, especially in the late pregnancy when the belly gets bigger day by day. Women will be particularly worried during this period. We all know that the amniotic fluid situation in women's bodies will change at different times after pregnancy, especially in the late pregnancy when the fetus grows and develops very rapidly. During this period, any abnormality in the amniotic fluid will have a certain impact on the health and development of the fetus, and may even cause fetal hypoxia. What worries women most after 27 weeks of pregnancy is the situation of the amniotic fluid in their belly. Let's take a look at what the amniotic fluid index is at 27 weeks of pregnancy.

What is the amniotic fluid index at 27 weeks of pregnancy?

Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI): The uterus is divided into four quadrants at right angles using the umbilical horizontal line and the linea alba as markers. The vertical diameter of the largest amniotic fluid pool in each quadrant is measured, and the sum of the four is the amniotic fluid index. When measuring AFI, please note that if the amniotic fluid pool is on both sides of the marker line, only measure the diameter of one side.

The normal range is: 5~18cm

Amniotic fluid is one of the elements that maintain the survival of the fetus. Before the embryo begins to form, amniotic fluid must be present to prop up the thick uterine wall and provide the free movement space required for the fetus's growth and development. Its functions also include: acting as a buffer when the uterus is impacted by external forces, maintaining a stable temperature, analyzing the composition to understand the health and maturity of the fetus, and assisting in the expansion of the cervix by transmitting pressure through the water bag during labor pains.

The amount of amniotic fluid varies from person to person. It usually increases gradually with the increase of pregnancy weeks. It is 50cc at 12 weeks, about 3,400cc in the middle of pregnancy, and reaches a maximum of about 1000cc at 36 to 38 weeks of pregnancy. It decreases significantly after the due date. The amniotic fluid in the early stage of pregnancy is mainly secreted by the amniotic membrane covering the placenta and umbilical cord. After four months, the fetus swallows amniotic fluid and urinates to regulate the amount and composition of amniotic fluid. At the same time, the flow of amniotic fluid in and out of the respiratory system will also be affected.

How to avoid oligohydramnios

To prevent oligohydramnios, pregnant women should first pay attention to prenatal examinations, and create a card for regular and systematic health examinations in the third month of pregnancy, especially starting from the 37th week of pregnancy, and have weekly prenatal examinations. This can detect oligohydramnios in time and plan delivery, which is beneficial to avoid more serious effects of oligohydramnios on mother and child. If too little amniotic fluid is found, the patient can be admitted to the hospital earlier. During the period of waiting for delivery, oxygen therapy can be performed twice a day, each time for 3 minutes, and the fetal heart rate should be listened to frequently and paid attention to changes in the fetal heart rate. In addition to paying attention to prenatal examinations, we should also pay attention to daily examinations.

1. Pregnant women should learn to monitor themselves and pay attention to changes in fetal movements. Fetal heart rate monitoring is performed at every prenatal checkup in the late pregnancy, which helps to promptly understand the condition of the fetus in the uterus.

2. Pregnant women with excessive amniotic fluid should pay attention. The main drug that can affect the amount of amniotic fluid is currently indomethacin, which can reduce the amount of amniotic fluid to treat excessive amniotic fluid. However, when using it, you should pay attention to testing the amount of amniotic fluid and stop reducing the medication in time to prevent oligohydramnios. Generally, this medicine is not suitable for use after 34 weeks of pregnancy.

3. During daily rest, you can lie on your left side more often and drink more water to improve blood circulation and increase amniotic fluid. If the fetus is found to be free of deformities and the pregnant woman has no serious complications, the amount of amniotic fluid can be increased by drinking water quickly under the guidance of a doctor. Pregnant women who are full-term and have not yet given birth and are lacking in amniotic fluid can drink 2000 ml of water within 2 hours. If the requirement is still not met, the above method can be repeated.

The above is an introduction to the amniotic fluid index at 27 weeks of pregnancy. After understanding it, I hope that many pregnant mothers can master some of this common sense, which will reduce a lot of concerns throughout the pregnancy and make the entire pregnancy easier. In addition, in order to avoid accidents, female friends must maintain good living habits during pregnancy and go to the hospital regularly for prenatal check-ups.