As you go through pregnancy, your uterus will form an amniotic sac which will produce amniotic fluid. This fluid serves as protection for your baby while he is in your womb. Oligohydramnios is a condition that can occur when your amniotic fluid is low. This can cause problems in your pregnancy so it is very important that you return the fluid volume to normal levels through medical and home interventions. Read the following steps to learn more.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Increasing Amniotic Fluid Volume Through Medication
Step 1. Understand that treatment is based on your gestational age
The treatment your doctor will give you will be based on your gestational age. Generally, your doctor will recommend one of the remedies listed in this section, as well as home rehydration, which is described in the second part of this article.
- If you are not yet full term, your doctor will monitor you and your amniotic fluid level very closely. Tests such as a non-stress test and a contraction stress test are done to monitor your baby's activity. Your doctor may also suggest one of the following medical treatments listed under this method.
- If you are nearing term, your doctor may advise you to have a cesarean section because the low level of amniotic fluid just before birth can be dangerous for you and your baby.
Step 2. Get an amniotic fluid injection
In this process, the doctor will inject the leaking amniotic fluid back into the amniotic sac using a needle. This will help restore your condition as it will increase the amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus. This procedure is very similar to amniocentesis (a procedure to check your amniotic fluid volume), except that instead of withdrawing the amniotic fluid, the doctor will inject the leaking amniotic fluid back into the amniotic sac using a needle.
This procedure is often used as a short-term fix because the amniotic fluid volume tends to decrease again after a few weeks. However, doctors choose to use this method because it helps them to find the problem that is causing your low level of amniotic fluid volume
Step 3. Get fluids intravenously (intravenous)
Some pregnant women are hospitalized for additional intravenous fluid therapy if natural rehydration methods (such as drinking plenty of water) are not able to increase the amount of amniotic fluid. If you have tried rehydrating at home and there is no change in your amniotic fluid volume, you will most likely need an IV to stay hydrated.
- Once your amniotic fluid level returns to normal, you will most likely be discharged.
- Keep in mind that sometimes IV therapy will be continued until you are ready for delivery if you are having trouble staying hydrated.
Step 4. Use a catheter to increase the volume of fluid
Amnioinfusion is when Lactated Ringer's Fluid or a saline solution is inserted into the amniotic fluid bag through a catheter. This will increase the amount of amniotic fluid around your baby and provide extra cushioning for your baby and the umbilical cord.
The amount of fluid injected will depend on how low your amniotic fluid volume level is
Step 5. Talk to your doctor about inserting a shunt inside your body
A 'shunt' is used to move body fluids from one place in your body to another. In this case, the shunt diverts fetal urine into your amniotic fluid cavity if the cause of your low amniotic fluid volume level is due to fetal obstructive uropathy (kidney problems that decrease amniotic fluid volume).
Method 2 of 3: Increasing Amniotic Fluid Volume with Home Management
Step 1. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day
One of the simplest ways to increase your amniotic fluid volume is to ensure that you are always hydrated. As you increase the amount of water that is in your body, your amniotic fluid level will also increase.
Drink water throughout the day and try to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water per day
Step 2. Eat fruits that have water content
A great way to stay hydrated and get good nutrition is to eat fruits and vegetables that have a high concentration of water. As stated above, when you increase the amount of hydration for your body, you will also increase the volume of your amniotic fluid. Good fruits and vegetables to eat when you need hydration include:
- Vegetables such as: Cucumber (96.7% water), crispy head lettuce/ iceberg lettuce (95.6%), celery (95.4%), radishes (95.3%), green peppers (93.9%), cauliflower (92.1%), spinach (91.4%), broccoli (90.7%), and small carrots (90.4%).
- Fruits such as: Watermelon (91.5%), tomatoes (94.5%), star fruit (91.4%), strawberries (91.0%), grapefruit (90.5%), and yellow melon (90, 2%).
Step 3. Avoid herbal supplements that can dehydrate you
Some herbal supplements can act as diuretics, making you have to urinate more often. The more often you urinate, the more likely you are to become dehydrated. It is very important that you stay hydrated if you are concerned about your amniotic fluid volume. Herbal supplements to avoid include:
Extracts of dandelion flower, celery seed, watercress and parsley
Step 4. Stay away from alcohol
If you are pregnant, you should not drink alcohol at all because alcohol is not good for your baby's health. Alcohol can also dehydrate you and cause your amniotic fluid volume to decrease.
Step 5. Do moderate exercise regularly if your doctor doesn't tell you to rest completely
Aim to get at least 30 to 45 minutes of non-weightlifting and pressure exercise each day. Exercise increases blood flow to various areas of your body. If the blood flow circulating in the uterus and placenta increases, the amniotic fluid index and the rate of fetal urine production (the frequency of the baby urinating) will also increase. As your baby excretes more urine into the amniotic sac, the volume of amniotic fluid will increase. Exercises you should consider doing include:
- Swimming or water aerobics. This is the best exercise to do when you are pregnant because this exercise does not burden you with the weight of the fetus in your womb.
- Walk and hike lightly.
Step 6. Lie on your left side when you are relaxing
If your doctor asks you to be on bed rest (which is called complete rest), you should lie on your left side if you can. When you lie on your left side, your blood will flow more smoothly along the uterine veins and make the baby's blood flow more smoothly. This can increase your amniotic fluid index.
Step 7. Talk to your doctor about changing your prescription if you are taking ACE inhibitors (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme)
ACE inhibitors are drugs that help to lower high blood pressure by stopping the conversion of Angiotensin I to Angiotensin II in the body. While these medications are usually fine to take, you shouldn't take them while you're pregnant because they can decrease the amount of amniotic fluid your body produces.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Oligohydramnios
Step 1. Understand the use of amniotic fluid
The most important function of amniotic fluid is to keep your baby safe while he is in the womb. This is done by providing a cushion for your baby. Amniotic fluid also has other functions, including:
- Keep baby warm.
- Works as a lubricant. Sometimes, some babies are born with webbed fingers and toes due to insufficient amount of amniotic fluid.
- Promotes proper lung and kidney development.
- Helping the baby move freely, which in turn allows the baby to exercise his limbs and become strong.
Step 2. Watch for symptoms of oligohydramnios
Oligohydramnios is a condition that occurs when your amniotic fluid volume level is very low (especially below 300 ml). If you are concerned that you may have developed this condition, you should always talk to your doctor. If you are concerned that you may experience this condition someday, it is helpful for you to know what to look out for. The symptoms include:
- Amniotic fluid leakage.
- Your belly is smaller than the normal size you think is appropriate for your gestational age (how long you have been pregnant).
- Feel like your baby is moving less.
- A smaller amount of urine than expected when you urinate.
- You can see a lack of amniotic fluid when you do an ultrasound.
Step 3. Be aware of risk factors that can lead to low levels of amniotic fluid volume
There are several conditions or factors that can cause problems with your amniotic fluid volume. Some of the most common causes include:
- If your baby is small for the gestational age.
- If you have high blood pressure while you are pregnant (a condition called pre-eclampsia).
- If part or all of your placenta separates from your uterine wall before you even give birth. This condition is known as placental abruption.
- If you are carrying identical twins. If identical twins share a placenta, sometimes their amniotic fluid volume becomes imbalanced. This occurs when one baby gets more blood through the placenta than the other.
- If you have certain medical conditions such as lupus.
- If your gestational age is overdue (post term). If you are more than 42 weeks pregnant, you have a higher risk of low amniotic fluid levels due to decreased placental function - amniotic fluid begins to decrease at 38 weeks of pregnancy.
Step 4. Understand that a low amniotic fluid volume level can usually only be diagnosed through an ultrasound examination
The actual volume of amniotic fluid cannot be safely measured directly, therefore this condition is diagnosed using ultrasound that examines the amniotic fluid index (ICA).
