How to control excessive amniotic fluid

Excessive amniotic fluid has a great impact on the health of the fetus, and may even cause fetal malformation or death. Pregnant women with excessive amniotic fluid should go to the hospital for examination and diagnosis in time. They must pay attention to rest in daily life and can take some diuretics for treatment. There are many reasons for excessive amniotic fluid, such as twins, fetal malformation, etc., so they should go to a regular hospital for examination in time.

During a normal pregnancy, the amount of amniotic fluid increases with the gestational weeks and begins to gradually decrease in the last 2-4 weeks. At full-term pregnancy, the amount of amniotic fluid is about 1000ml (800-1200ml). If the amount of amniotic fluid exceeds 2000ml at any time during pregnancy, it is called polyhydramnios. Up to 20000ml. The treatment of polyhydramnios depends mainly on whether the fetus has malformations and the severity of the pregnant woman's symptoms. If the fetus has no malformations and the symptoms are mild, the pregnancy can continue. Pay attention to rest, eat a low-salt diet, and take the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg orally 3 times a day, or take traditional Chinese medicine that strengthens the spleen, promotes diuresis, and warms the yang and transforms qi.

Amniotic fluid refers to the fluid in the amniotic cavity of the uterus during pregnancy. During pregnancy, it is an essential component for maintaining fetal life. 98% of amniotic fluid is water, with a small amount of inorganic salts, organic matter and shed fetal cells. Polyhydramnios is more common in patients with fetal malformation, chromosomal abnormalities, twins, gestational diabetes or pregnancy complicated by diabetes, maternal-fetal blood type incompatibility, fetal edema, idiopathic polyhydramnios (30% of polyhydramnios has unknown causes), etc.

Causes of polyhydramnios

1. Gestational diabetes leads to polyhydramnios:

If you have gestational diabetes and it's not well controlled, you may have polyhydramnios. About 10% of pregnant women with diabetes are diagnosed with polyhydramnios, usually during the third trimester.

2. Twins or multiple births cause polyhydramnios:

If you are pregnant with twins or more, you may also experience polyhydramnios. Polyhydramnios is particularly common in cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome, where one fetus has too little amniotic fluid and the other has too much.

3. Fetal malformation leads to excessive amniotic fluid:

Rarely, due to disease, the fetus can no longer swallow amniotic fluid, even though the fetus's kidneys continue to produce urine. Causes of dysphagia in the fetus may include pyloric stenosis, cleft lip, cleft palate, or some gastrointestinal obstruction. Some neurological disorders can also prevent the fetus from swallowing, such as neural tube defects or hydrocephalus.