Too much amniotic fluid

Dr. rer. nat. Daniela Oesterle is a molecular biologist, human geneticist and trained medical editor. As a freelance journalist, she writes texts on health topics for experts and laypeople and edits specialist scientific articles by doctors in German and English. She is responsible for the publication of certified advanced training courses for medical professionals for a renowned publishing house.

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Doctors speak of polyhydramnios when an above-average amount of amniotic fluid has accumulated in the amniotic sac. For the increased amount - mostly towards the end of pregnancy or when the due date is exceeded - some causes are known so far. Too much amniotic fluid can be related to maternal or child diseases and can also occur in multiple pregnancies. Read everything you need to know about "Too Much Amniotic Fluid" here.

Amniotic fluid: Cleverly regulated

The amniotic fluid (amniotic fluid) offers the growing child ideal conditions for healthy growth and normal development of the organs. During pregnancy, the amniotic fluid is constantly renewed through complex processes in which both maternal and child organs are involved.

In rare cases, disturbances occur. Then either too much amniotic fluid develops (polyhydramnios) or too little (oligohydramnios). Polyhydramnios (also called polyhydramnios or hydramnios) occurs in 0.3 to 0.7 percent of all pregnancies, so it is quite rare.

Reasons for polyhydramnios

The cause of polyhydramnios is sometimes unexplained. In the other cases, various diseases of the mother or child are found to be triggers:

Childhood illnesses

The more advanced the pregnancy, the more the unborn child takes on the regular renewal of amniotic fluid:

The child begins to drink amniotic fluid around the 14th week of pregnancy. The child's kidneys clean the fluid and it is then excreted in the urine as fresh amniotic fluid. Fresh amniotic fluid is also released into the amniotic sac via the lungs, nose and mouth.

Various disorders in the child prevent the removal of amniotic fluid or increase the amount excreted. The latter can be triggered, for example, by impaired kidney function with increased urine excretion (for example by Barret syndrome).

Swallowing disorders are also a possible reason for too much amniotic fluid. They can be the result of malformations of the gastrointestinal tract, neurological or neuromuscular diseases.

In addition, disturbances in the resultant such as trisomies and bleeding in the child's brain are other possible causes for an above-average amount of amniotic fluid.

Maternal diseases

To a certain extent, used amniotic fluid can also be removed via the placenta. Placental weakness is therefore another possible cause of polyhydramnios. In addition, infections (such as toxoplasmosis), gestational diabetes, a placental tumor and multiple pregnancies can cause too much amniotic fluid.

Multiple pregnancy

In identical multiple pregnancies with separate amniotic sacs, the so-called transfusion syndrome can rarely occur: Since the multiples divide the placenta and the umbilical cords are connected by vessels, an imbalance in the distribution of amniotic fluid can occur: too little amniotic fluid in one child, too much amniotic fluid in the other .

How does the doctor recognize polyhydramnios?

The doctor usually detects unusually high amounts of amniotic fluid in the routine ultrasound examination. The following values from different measurements then help him to confirm his suspicions:

Amniotic fluid index (values over 20 centimeters)
Deepest amniotic fluid reservoir (values over eight centimeters)
Two-diameter amniotic fluid reservoir (values over 50 square centimeters)

How do pregnant women notice polyhydramnios?

If the following signs appear very intensely within a few days and before the 37th week of pregnancy, pregnant women should definitely think about polyhydramnios:

severe abdominal tension
Labor pains
persistent pelvic pain
Pulling in the lower abdomen
Difficulty breathing
dizziness

In the event of such complaints, pregnant women should immediately contact the attending physician or the maternity ward, if necessary with the help of an ambulance!

Complications from polyhydramnios

It is known that too much amniotic fluid can lead to various diseases or complications: high blood pressure, infections of the urinary tract, premature birth and caesarean section have been described for the mother, for example. But the child can also be harmed by the hydramnios: A low birth weight up to and including infant death are possible consequences of polyhydramnios.

Medical treatment

How polyhydramnios is treated depends on how severe it is (mild to severe), what is causing it, and the health of the child and mother. There are various treatment methods available to the doctor that can avert possible dangers well. A first measure can be puncture of the amniotic sac and removal of amniotic fluid. The drug treatment of maternal or child diseases or the induction of childbirth are further options for treating polyhydramnios.

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