Will the amniotic fluid leak a little bit?

In the late stages of pregnancy, pregnant women need to pay attention to whether their amniotic fluid has broken, because breaking the amniotic fluid means that they are preparing for delivery. The amniotic fluid may leak a little bit. When a pregnant woman finds that there is a large amount of secretions in her vagina, and the state of these secretions is similar to water, then she should pay attention to whether her amniotic fluid has broken.

Although most of the time the amniotic fluid breaks in large quantities, it may also leak out slowly, little by little. Moreover, amniotic fluid does not necessarily leak out only during labor, sometimes it will leak out in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women should pay attention to the condition of amniotic fluid during pregnancy.

If a pregnant woman finds that her vaginal discharge is excessive and watery, she should be careful about the possibility of amniotic fluid leakage. Leaking amniotic fluid usually does not occur only once, so pregnant women can buy pH test strips for testing. If you feel that your judgment is inaccurate, you can also go to the hospital for examination. Doctors can use B-ultrasound to observe the condition of the amniotic fluid. In the late stages of pregnancy, if there are major changes in the amniotic fluid, you must be vigilant.

Sometimes, the uterus can heal itself if there is a slight leakage of amniotic fluid. However, if the amniotic fluid leakage is severe, the fetus will not be able to stay in the uterus for a long time. This is because when the amniotic sac ruptures, it is very easy to cause intrauterine infection.

Causes of low amniotic fluid

The fetus is immersed in amniotic fluid. If there is too little amniotic fluid, it may cause fetal growth restriction, fetal intrauterine distress, and even fetal malformations and neonatal asphyxia in severe cases. So, what is the reason for low amniotic fluid?

1. Rupture of the amniotic membrane leads to low amniotic fluid

Even a small tear in the amniotic membrane will allow some amniotic fluid to leak out. This can happen at any stage of your pregnancy. However, it is more common near birth. You may discover leaking fluid yourself if you notice your underwear is wet, or your doctor may discover it during an examination.

Rupture of membranes increases the risk of infection for you and your baby because it provides a pathway for bacteria to enter the amniotic cavity. Sometimes, a small tear will heal on its own, and the fluid will stop leaking and return to normal levels. This usually happens if the leak was caused by amniocentesis.

2. Placental problems lead to low amniotic fluid

If there is a problem with the placenta, such as partial abruption, the placenta cannot supply enough blood and nutrients to the baby, resulting in the interruption of amniotic fluid circulation in the fetus.

3. Certain diseases lead to low amniotic fluid

Certain diseases can also cause low amniotic fluid, such as chronic high blood pressure, preeclampsia, diabetes, and lupus.

4. Twins or multiple births cause oligohydramnios

If you are pregnant with twins or more, you may also have oligohydramnios. Oligohydramnios may also occur in cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome, where one baby has too little amniotic fluid and the other has too much.

5. Fetal malformation leads to oligohydramnios

If you are diagnosed with oligohydramnios in early or mid-pregnancy, it may mean that your baby will have birth defects. If your baby has no kidneys, has abnormal kidney development (called Potter syndrome), or has a blocked urethra, he or she may not produce enough urine to maintain the amount of amniotic fluid. Congenital heart defects can also cause this problem.