Otherwise, you’ll be monitored until labour starts naturally. Your doctor will aim to keep your baby in the womb for as long as possible, although if there are complications, they may advise you to have your labour started artificially (Bond et al 2017, NICE 2008). Your doctor may also offer you steroids, depending on what week of pregnancy you’re at (NICE 2015). The antibiotic used will be safe for you and your baby. If your waters break before 37 weeks, your doctor will offer you antibiotics to help prolong your pregnancy and guard against infection (NICE 2012, 2014, 2015, Thinkhamrop et al 2015). If your waters break, and you don’t go into labour soon, you’re at a higher risk of infection (NICE 2008, NHS 2017). If you aren’t sure whether your waters have broken, contact your midwife or doctor straight away. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference between broken waters and an accidental leak of wee, especially if your baby is pressing down on your bladder in late pregnancy. Your waters may break in a big gush, or fluid may leak out slowly, because there’s a tear in the amniotic sac. Your waters have brokenThe majority of women who have low amniotic fluid experience it in their third trimester, usually because their waters have broken (Beloosesky and Ross 2020, Carter 2017). However, one of the following factors may be the underlying cause. Even then, it’s not always clear why it happens. What causes low amniotic fluid?It depends on what stage of pregnancy you’re at. It affects about one in 25 pregnant women, rising to one in 10 women whose pregnancy goes beyond 41 weeks (Beloosesky and Ross 2020, Payne 2016). Having low amniotic fluid is a fairly common problem. Too little amniotic fluid surrounding your baby is called oligohydramnios, and too much fluid is called polyhydramnios, or hydramnios. From 38 weeks onwards, the fluid gradually begins to reduce, until you’re ready to give birth (NHS 2018a, Payne 2016).īecause your baby regularly swallows amniotic fluid, and passes it out of their body as urine, the amount of fluid in the amniotic sac normally rises and falls every day. You’ll start off with just a few millilitres, but will have between 800ml (1.4 pints) and 1,000ml (1.8 pints) by the time you’re about 36 weeks pregnant (Carter 2017, Payne 2016). What is a normal volume of amniotic fluid?The amount of amniotic fluid increases as your pregnancy progresses. Keeps your baby at a constant temperature.Helps your baby’s lungs and digestive system to mature, and their muscles and bones to develop.Protects your baby from being hurt if you have a blow to your tummy, or if your bump is squashed.This is known as your waters breaking.Īmniotic fluid works in many ways to help your baby develop throughout your pregnancy. The membranes usually break open during labour, when your baby is ready to be born, and fluid flows out. These membranes keep your baby safely sealed in the bag of amniotic fluid. The wall of the amniotic sac is made up of two membranes: the chorion and the amnion. Then from about 20 weeks it’s mostly made up of your baby’s urine (March of Dimes, 2020).
At first, your amniotic fluid is mostly water. What is amniotic fluid?Amniotic fluid cushions your growing baby inside the fluid-filled bag (amniotic sac) in your womb (uterus). It could be caused by your waters breaking, a problem with the placenta, or being dehydrated. The causes of oligohydramnios vary depending on how close you are to your due date. Low amniotic fluid or oligohydramnios is a common pregnancy complication. What can I do if I have oligohydramnios?.
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