Polyhydramnios; A Case of Excessive Amniotic Fluid.

In my most recent post, I wrote about the risk of having a reduced amniotic fluid for an expectant mother, but while it is dangerous to have insufficient amniotic fluid, the fluid could also get too much, and of course, when it is too much it is equally dangerous. This affirms my grandmother's popular saying, that too little and too much of everything is bad, but the question is always, how much is a sufficient/adequate amount?

Polyhydramnios is a very rare condition, it affects only about 1-2% of pregnancies, it is a buildup of increased amniotic fluid, which is of course the fluid that surrounds the baby in the uterus during pregnancies. The condition is mostly a mild one, found during the middle or later stages of pregnancy, but there are times when the situation gets severe and it will cause other types of complications.

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Mild cases of polyhydramnios will often have no symptoms, but its serious form comes with consequences such as; pain in the stomach region, swelling of the feet or ankles, shortness of breath, and feeling tightness in the muscle of the uterus (contractions).
Some known causes of polyhydramnios include;

Diabetes in a pregnant woman.
Genetic conditions that affect a baby.
A condition where the blood cell of the pregnant parent attacks the blood cells of the baby.
Infection during pregnancy.
A condition where the digestive tract, central nervous system, or some organs of the baby get affected.

As a pregnant woman who has polyhydramnios, you can be relaxed and hope it doesn't lead to complications, as long as it is not a case of complication, there is often nothing to worry about. Get plenty of rest, taking an early maternity leave may be advisable, ensure to speak to your doctor about any concerns you have about your baby or when your tummy suddenly begins to get very big.

Some complications of polyhydramnios involve;

Water breaking too early, this is what we call premature rupture of membranes.
Breech birth- A situation not being in a head-down position, which is the ideal position before delivery.
The umbilical cord drops into the vagina before the baby, this situation is called umbilical cord prolapse.
Premature birth the baby is born before time.
The placenta which is the organ responsible for the provision of nutrients and oxygen to the unborn child begins to peel out of the inner wall of the uterus before delivery.
Pregnancy loss after 20 weeks.
Heavy bleeding.

It is usually advisable that you give birth in a hospital once you have polyhydramnios, as there is easy-to-reach equipment that will help for easy delivery and ensure the safety of the baby. There is also a chance that so much fluid will be lost during birth, this is normal and nothing to worry about, but after birth, an examination will be carried out to ensure the child is in good health.

Unfortunately, there is no known way to prevent polyhydramnios, the only thing that can be done is to properly manage your sugar level if you have been previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes or if you had diabetes before pregnancy.

Polyhydramnios; A Case of Excessive Amniotic Fluid.

Further Reading.