When you get pregnant, your uterus forms an amniotic sac which produces amniotic fluid. This liquid acts as a protection for your baby while it is in the womb. Oligohydramnios is a pregnancy pathology that can develop when the level of amniotic fluid decreases. It can cause problems during gestation, so it is very important to bring the fluid back to its normal levels either by drug treatment or by taking some measures at home. Scroll to the first step to find out more.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Increase Amniotic Fluid with Drugs
Step 1. Understand that therapy is based on the stage of pregnancy
The therapeutic indications from the doctor are regulated according to the stage in which your pregnancy is. In general, the doctor recommends one of the treatments listed in this part of the article, but also rehydration at home, which is outlined in the second part.
- If you are not yet at the full term of your pregnancy, your doctor will check your levels very carefully. It is possible that some tests, such as the "non-stress test" and the "contraction stress test" (sometimes called the "oxytocin stimulation test"), are done to monitor your baby's activity. Your doctor may also suggest one of the medical treatments listed below.
- If you are near term, your doctor may recommend a caesarean section, because low amniotic fluid levels immediately before delivery can be dangerous for you and your baby.
Step 2. Give yourself an injection of amniotic fluid
In this process, the doctor injects amniotic fluid into the amniotic sac with a needle. This operation is an help for your health conditions, because it will increase the amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus. It is somewhat reminiscent of amniocentesis (the test that checks the levels of amniotic fluid), except that instead of extracting it, the doctor injects the amniotic fluid leaking into the amniotic sac with a needle.
This procedure is often used as an immediate solution, because amniotic fluid levels tend to drop again after a couple of weeks. However, doctors choose to use this method because it helps them pinpoint the problem that is causing the reduction of amniotic fluid
Step 3. Take fluids intravenously
Some pregnant women are hospitalized for further intravenous fluid administration, if natural rehydration methods (such as drinking plenty of water) are unable to increase the amount of amniotic fluid. If you have tried to rehydrate at home without experiencing changes in amniotic fluid levels, it is very likely that you will be given intravenous fluids to ensure proper hydration.
- Once your amniotic fluid levels have returned to normal, it is very likely that you will be discharged.
- Remember that sometimes intravenous therapy will continue until you are ready to give birth, in case you continue to have hydration problems.
Step 4. Use a catheter to raise the fluid level
Amnioinfusion is when lactated ringer's solution or a normal saline solution is infused into the amniotic fluid sac from a catheter. In this way, the level of amniotic fluid around the baby increases and provides additional protection for the baby and the umbilical cord.
The amount of saline injected will depend on how low the amniotic fluid levels are
Step 5. Talk to your doctor about the hypothesis of inserting a shunt in the body
Shunts are used to move liquid from one part of the body to another. In this case, a shunt diverts the urine of the fetus into the cavity of the amniotic fluid, if the reason why the level of the amniotic fluid is low depends on an obstructive uropathy of the fetus (kidney problem that decreases the amniotic fluid).
Method 2 of 3: Increase Amniotic Fluid by Taking Home Measures
Step 1. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day
One of the simplest ways to increase amniotic fluid is to make sure you stay hydrated all the time. As you increase the amount of water you have in your body, the level of amniotic fluid also increases.
Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water during the day
Step 2. Eat fruit that contains water
A great way to stay hydrated, as well as to take in the appropriate nutrients, is to eat fruit and vegetables with a high water content. As already mentioned, when the body's hydration increases, the amount of amniotic fluid also increases. Fruits and vegetables to eat when you need to hydrate include:
- Vegetables such as: cucumber (96.7% water), iceberg lettuce (95.6%), celery (95.4%), radishes (95.3%), green peppers (93.9%), cauliflower (92, 1%), spinach (91, 4%), broccoli (90, 7%) and baby carrots (90, 4%).
- Fruits such as: watermelon (91.5%), tomatoes (94.5%), carambola (91.4%), strawberries (91.0%), grapefruit (90.5%) and melon (90.2%).
Step 3. Avoid herbal supplements that can dehydrate you
Some herbal supplements can act as diuretics, making you urinate more. The more you go to the bathroom, the more likely you are to become dehydrated. It is very important to stay hydrated when you are worried about your amniotic fluid level. Herbal supplements to stay away from include:
Dandelion extract, celery seeds, watercress and parsley
Step 4. Stay away from alcohol
If you are pregnant, you should definitely not drink alcohol, as it is bad for the baby's health. Alcohol can also dehydrate you and reduce the level of amniotic fluid.
Step 5. Get regular, light exercise if your doctor has not prescribed bed rest for you
You should try to do mild exercise every day for at least 30-45 minutes. Physical exercises promote the increase of blood flow in different parts of the body. If the blood circulating in the uterus and placenta increases, there is also a growth in the amniotic fluid index and in the rate of fetal urine production (the amount of urine produced by the baby). As the baby passes more urine into the amniotic sac, the volume of the amniotic fluid increases. The exercises you should consider are:
- Swimming or water aerobics. They are the best sports to do when you are pregnant, because they do not make you feel the weight of the baby.
- Walking and light trekking.
Step 6. Lie on your left side when you rest
If your doctor has instructed you to stay in bed (i.e. to respect total bed rest), you should lie down on the left when you can. When you are on the left side, blood flows more smoothly through the blood vessels of the uterus, allowing the baby's blood circulation to move at a normal rate. In doing so, the amniotic fluid index is likely to rise.
Step 7. Talk to your doctor about changing your prescription if you are taking ACE inhibitors
ACE inhibitors are drugs that help lower high blood pressure by stopping the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II in the body. While it does not normally hurt to take these medications, it is not advisable to take them during pregnancy, as they can reduce the amount of amniotic fluid produced by the body.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Olighydramnios
Step 1. Learn about the function of amniotic fluid
The most important role of amniotic fluid is to keep the baby safe while in the womb. It does this by surrounding and protecting the baby from trauma and infection. It also has other functions, including:
- Keep the baby warm.
- Act as a lubricant. Sometimes, some babies are born with webbed fingers and toes due to insufficient amniotic fluid.
- Promote proper development of the lungs and kidneys.
- Help the child to move freely, allowing him to exercise and strengthen the limbs.
Step 2. Learn about the symptoms of oligohydramnios
Oligohydramnios is a pathological condition that occurs when the amniotic fluid is excessively reduced (especially below 300 ml). If you are concerned that you have developed this condition, you should speak to your doctor. If you're worried about developing it in the future, it's helpful to know what to look for. Symptoms include:
- Loss of amniotic fluid.
- The abdomen is smaller than it should be for the duration of gestation (calculated from the time you got pregnant).
- Feeling that the baby moves less.
- Passing less urine than expected.
- Visible lack of amniotic fluid during ultrasound.
Step 3. Know the risk factors that could lead to having low amounts of amniotic fluid
There are some conditions or factors that can predispose to the onset of problems with respect to the amount of amniotic fluid. Some of the more common causes include:
- If the baby is small in relation to its gestational age.
- If you have high blood pressure during pregnancy (a condition called preeclampsia).
- If the placenta partially or completely detaches from the uterine wall even before the onset of childbirth. This condition is known as "placental abruption".
- If you have identical twins. If identical twins share the placenta, their amniotic fluid levels are sometimes out of balance. It happens when one twin receives more blood through the placenta than the other.
- If you have any medical conditions, such as lupus.
- If you are pregnant beyond term. If the pregnancy goes beyond 42 weeks, there is a higher risk of having a low level of amniotic fluid due to altered placental functions - amniotic fluid begins to decrease from the 38th week of pregnancy.
Step 4. Realize that low amniotic fluid can usually only be diagnosed with ultrasound
The actual volume of amniotic fluid cannot be safely measured by observation by the doctor, so this condition is diagnosed by ultrasounds that check the amniotic fluid index (AFI).
