What are the reactions of pregnant women when there is less amniotic fluid?

For pregnant women, the amount of amniotic fluid is very important. If there is too little amniotic fluid, the first thing that will be affected is the normal development of the baby. However, many pregnant women do not know the reactions of low amniotic fluid. Generally speaking, abdominal pain in pregnant women due to fetal movement, reduced fetal movement, easy uterine contractions, a feeling that the uterus is tightly wrapping around the fetus, and obvious labor pains are all symptoms of low amniotic fluid. Here we will introduce the symptoms, causes and solutions of low amniotic fluid.

1. Symptoms of oligohydramnios

Most of the symptoms of oligohydramnios are atypical, but they also have the following characteristics.

1. When the fetus moves, the pregnant woman will feel obvious abdominal pain; the placental function is reduced, and the fetal movement often decreases.

2. The uterus is sensitive and even slight stimulation can easily trigger uterine contractions.

3. During prenatal check-ups, it can be found that the uterine height and abdominal circumference of the pregnant woman are smaller than the gestational month, and the fetal movement is more obviously restricted, so there is a feeling that the uterus is tightly wrapping the fetus.

4. The labor pains are obvious and the uterine contractions are mostly uncoordinated. During vaginal examination, it will be found that the anterior amniotic sac is not obvious, the fetal membranes are close to the fetal presenting part, and very little amniotic fluid flows out during artificial rupture of the membranes.

2. Causes of low amniotic fluid volume

1. Abnormal fetal development. This situation usually occurs in the second trimester, starting from the 14th week of pregnancy. If a color Doppler ultrasound shows a low amount of amniotic fluid during this stage, it is mostly due to problems with fetal development, such as renal deficiency, polycystic kidney disease, urinary tract obstruction, urinary tract stenosis and other urinary system problems, as well as growth problems such as fetal growth restriction.

2. Premature rupture of membranes. This situation mostly occurs in the late pregnancy, and pregnant women will feel that amniotic fluid is leaking out, resulting in a progressive decrease in amniotic fluid.

3. Decreased placental function. This situation is common when the pregnant mother has abnormalities, such as pregnant women with preeclampsia, who have high blood pressure, systemic arterial spasm, and some blood vessels on the placenta are also prone to spasm. The blood flow supplied to the placenta also decreases, which can also result in a low amount of amniotic fluid.

3. What to do if pregnant women have little amniotic fluid

When oligohydramnios is detected, treatment options can be chosen based on whether the fetus has any deformities or the size of the gestational age.

1. Oligohydramnios combined with fetal malformation

If fetal malformation has been confirmed, the pregnancy should be terminated as soon as possible. Transabdominal amniocentesis under B-mode ultrasound guidance can be used to inject ethacridine to induce labor.

2. Oligohydramnios combined with normal fetus

When oligohydramnios is found but the fetus is developing normally, the cause should be found and eliminated. By increasing the amount of fluid replacement, placental function can be improved and infection can be prevented. Pregnant women should monitor their fetal movements by counting them, and doctors should perform fetal biophysical scoring. Through dynamic monitoring with B-mode ultrasound, the amount of amniotic fluid and the ratio of the highest blood flow velocity in systole to the lowest blood flow velocity in diastole (S/D) of the umbilical artery are obtained, and electronic fetal monitoring is performed to closely monitor the intrauterine condition of the fetus.