What is amniotic fluid?
Amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds your baby when you're pregnant. The amniotic fluid is held in the amniotic sac. The amniotic sac forms inside of your uterus (womb) when you're pregnant. It contains your baby and the amniotic fluid. Your amniotic sac breaks open (ruptures) and amniotic fluid leaks out when labor starts. This is called having your "water break."
What are amniotic fluid problems?
You have an amniotic fluid problem if you have too little or too much amniotic fluid.
Too much amniotic fluid
Having too much amniotic fluid can cause you to have:
Severe breathing problems
Early labor (before your baby’s organs are done growing)
Doctors often don't know what causes you to have too much amniotic fluid. Sometimes, you can have too much amniotic fluid if you:
Are pregnant with more than one baby
Have a baby with a defect, including brain or spinal cord defects
Too little amniotic fluid
Having too little amniotic fluid can cause your baby’s body or lungs to grow abnormally.
You can have too little amniotic fluid if:
Your baby has kidney defects, other birth defects, hasn't grown as much as expected, or has died
Your placenta (the organ that feeds your unborn baby) isn't working right
Your pregnancy has lasted too long (42 weeks or more)
You used medicines that can cause this problem, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or an ACE inhibitor
How can doctors tell if I have an amniotic fluid problem?
Doctors might suspect a problem if your uterus isn’t the size it should be for how far along your pregnancy is. Also, they may notice an amniotic fluid problem during an ultrasound Ultrasonography Ultrasonography is a safe imaging test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the insides of your body. Ultrasonography doesn't use radiation (x-rays). Ultrasonography is also called... read more 
at a regular office visit. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create moving pictures of the insides of your uterus.
How do doctors treat amniotic fluid problems?
Too much amniotic fluid
You might think that if you have too much amniotic fluid, doctors could just remove the extra fluid with a needle. Although that sometimes helps, it doesn't usually seem to make a difference. Instead, doctors:
Treat the cause, if there is one—for example, giving medicine to treat diabetes
Monitor your baby carefully and deliver your baby if there are signs of problems
Even if there are no problems, deliver your baby about a week before your due date
Too little amniotic fluid
Doctors will monitor your baby's growth and well-being using ultrasound Ultrasonography Ultrasonography is a safe imaging test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the insides of your body. Ultrasonography doesn't use radiation (x-rays). Ultrasonography is also called... read more and sometimes other tests. Unless there are other problems, they'll try to have you deliver the baby around your due date.
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Generic Name | Select Brand Names |
|---|---|
ibuprofen |
Advil, Advil Children's, Advil Children's Fever, Advil Infants', Advil Junior Strength, Advil Migraine, Caldolor, Children's Ibuprofen, ElixSure IB, Genpril , Ibren , IBU, Midol, Midol Cramps and Body Aches, Motrin, Motrin Children's, Motrin IB, Motrin Infants', Motrin Junior Strength, Motrin Migraine Pain, PediaCare Children's Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer IB, PediaCare Infants' Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer IB, Samson-8 |
aspirin |
Anacin Adult Low Strength, Aspergum, Aspir-Low, Aspirtab , Aspir-Trin , Bayer Advanced Aspirin, Bayer Aspirin, Bayer Aspirin Extra Strength, Bayer Aspirin Plus, Bayer Aspirin Regimen, Bayer Children's Aspirin, Bayer Extra Strength, Bayer Extra Strength Plus, Bayer Genuine Aspirin, Bayer Low Dose Aspirin Regimen, Bayer Womens Aspirin , BeneHealth Aspirin, Bufferin, Bufferin Extra Strength, Bufferin Low Dose, DURLAZA, Easprin , Ecotrin, Ecotrin Low Strength, Genacote, Halfprin, MiniPrin, St. Joseph Adult Low Strength, St. Joseph Aspirin, VAZALORE, Zero Order Release Aspirin, ZORprin |
