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Normal amniotic fluid2/20/2023 ![]() ![]() A total of less than 5 cm is considered low. A normal measure for the third trimester is between 5 and 25 centimeters (cm). The sonographer will measure the largest pockets of amniotic fluid in four different sections of your uterus and add them together to see where you rate on the amniotic fluid index (AFI). To find out what's going on, your practitioner will send you for an ultrasound. She may also be on the lookout for it if you've previously had a baby whose growth was restricted or if you have certain pregnancy complications (see maternal complications, below), or if you're past your due date. Your practitioner may suspect this problem if you're leaking fluid, measuring small for your stage of pregnancy, or not feeling your baby move very much. How will I know if I have low amniotic fluid? Sometimes, though, this system breaks down, resulting in either too much or too little fluid – both of which can present problems. ![]() So your baby plays an important role in keeping just the right amount of fluid in the amniotic sac. (Yes, this means that most of the fluid is eventually your baby's urine!) Early in the second trimester, your baby starts to swallow the fluid, pass it through their kidneys, and excrete it as urine, which they then swallow again, recycling the full volume of amniotic fluid every few hours. It helps the digestive and respiratory systems develop as your baby swallows and excretes it and "inhales" and "exhales" it from their lungs.ĭuring the first 14 weeks of your pregnancy, fluid passes from your circulatory system into the amniotic sac.It allows your baby to move around so their muscles and bones develop properly.It helps maintain a constant temperature in the womb.It prevents the umbilical cord from becoming compressed, which would reduce your baby's oxygen supply.It cushions your baby to protect them from trauma (if you take a tumble, for instance). ![]() After that, it gradually decreases until you give birth.Īmniotic fluid fills the sac surrounding your developing baby and plays several important roles: At the peak of 34 to 36 weeks, you may carry about a quart of amniotic fluid. Under normal circumstances, the amount of amniotic fluid you have increases until the beginning of your third trimester. Low amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios) is a condition in which the level of amniotic fluid measures lower than expected for a baby's gestational age. ![]()
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