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Polyhydramnios: Symptoms

Polyhydramnios is a condition where there is an excessive amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby in the uterus. It occurs in approximately 1-2% of pregnancies. While usually mild, too much fluid can cause complications like preterm labor or breathing difficulties. Potential causes include fetal defects, maternal diabetes, or twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Women with polyhydramnios may experience swelling, breathlessness, or feeling their bump is very large. The condition is monitored closely due to a higher risk of issues like premature birth or umbilical cord problems. Treatment may involve draining excess fluid or medication to reduce fluid levels.

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35 views

Polyhydramnios: Symptoms

Polyhydramnios is a condition where there is an excessive amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby in the uterus. It occurs in approximately 1-2% of pregnancies. While usually mild, too much fluid can cause complications like preterm labor or breathing difficulties. Potential causes include fetal defects, maternal diabetes, or twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Women with polyhydramnios may experience swelling, breathlessness, or feeling their bump is very large. The condition is monitored closely due to a higher risk of issues like premature birth or umbilical cord problems. Treatment may involve draining excess fluid or medication to reduce fluid levels.

Uploaded by

bambem aevan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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HSINTAN HSU

CHARMAE NAVEA

POLYHYDRAMNIOS
- Is the excessive accumulation of amniotic fluid – the fluid that
surrounds the baby in the uterus during pregnancy. It occurs in about 1
to 2 percent of pregnancies.
- Most cases of polyhydramnios are mild and result from a gradual build-
up of amniotic fluid during the second half of pregnancy. Severe
polyhydramnios may cause shortness of breath or preterm labour.
- Too much amniotic fluid is normally spotted during a check-up in the
later stages of pregnancy.
- It isn’t usually a sign of anything serious, but you’ll probably have some
extra check-ups and will be advised to give birth in hospital.
- The excess in amniotic fluid is opposite of oligohydramnios which
means there is low amniotic fluid.
- In most cases, polyhydramnios is harmless but it does have the
potential to cause serious pregnancy complications.
- Most women with polyhydramnios won’t have any significant problems
during their pregnancy and will have a healthy baby. But there is a
slightly increased risk of:
o Pregnancy and birth complications, such as giving birth
prematurely (before 37 weeks), problems with the baby’s
position, or a problem with the position of the umbilical cord
(prolapsed umbilical cord)
SYMPTOMS
Polyhydramnios tends to develop slowly and there may not be noticeable
symptoms:
 Breathlessness
 Swollen feet
 Heartburn
 Constipation
 Feeling your bump is very big and heavy
 Decreased urine production
 Swelling of the vulva
 Swelling in the lower extremities
CAUSES
Some of the known causes of polyhydramnios include:
 A birth defect that affects the baby’s gastrointestinal tract or central
nervous system
 Maternal diabetes
 Twin-twin transfusion – a possible complication of identical twin
pregnancies in which one twin receives too much blood and other is
too little.
 A lack of red blood cells in the baby (fetal anemia)
 Blood incompatibilities between mother and the baby
 Infection during pregnancy
 A problem with the baby’s heart rate – this includes anything from fetal
arrhythmia, a faintness of heartbeat due to a large amount of amniotic
fluid or a congenital heart defect.

COMPLICATIONS
Polyhydramnios associated with:
 Premature birth
 Pre-term labor
 Excess fetal growth
 Postpartum haemorrhage
 Fetal malposition
 Premature rapture of membranes – when the water breaks early
 Placenta abruption – when the placenta peels away from the inner wall
of the uterus before the delivery
 Umbilical cord prolapse – when the umbilical cord drops into the vagina
ahead of the baby
 C-section delivery
 Stillbirth
 Heavy bleeding due to lack of uterine muscle tone after delivery
The earlier that polyhydramnios occurs in pregnancy and the greater the
amount of excess amniotic fluid, the higher the risk of complications.
TREATMENT
 Drainage of excess amniotic fluid. Your health care provider may use
amniocentesis to drain excess amniotic fluid from your uterus. This
procedure carries a small risk of complications, including preterm labor,
placental abruption and premature rupture of the membranes.
 Medication. Your health care provider may prescribe the oral
medication indomethacin to help reduce fetal urine production and
amniotic fluid volume.
THINGS TO DO IF YOU HAVE POLYHYDRAMNIOS
If you’ve been told you have polyhydramnios:
 Try not to worry – remember poluhydramnios isn’t usually a sign of
something serious
 Get plenty of rest – if you work, you might consider starting your
maternity leave early
 Speak to your doctor or midwife about your birth plan – including what
to do if your waters break or labor starts earlier than expected
 Talk to your midwife or doctor if you have any concerns about yourself
or your baby, get any new symptoms, feel very uncomfortable, or your
tummy gets bigger suddenly

WHERE DOES AMNIOTIC FLUID COME FROM?


During the first 14 weeks of your pregnancy, fluid passes from your circulatoy
system into the amniotic sac. Early in the second trimester, your baby starts
to swallow the fluid and excrete urine, which then swallows again, recycling
the full volume of amniotic fluid every few hours.
HOW MUCH AMNIOTIC FLUID SHOULD THE PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE?
Under normal circumstances, the amount of amniotic fluid you have
increases until the beginning of your third trimester. At the peak of 34 to 36
weeks, you may carry about a quart of amniotic fluid. After that, it slowly
decreases until you give birth. If you’re found to have too much fluid at any
point in your pregnancy, it’s called polyhydramnios. This happens in about 1
percent of pregnancies.
HOW WILL THE PREGNANT WOMEN KNOW IF THEY HAVE TOO MUCH
AMNIOTOC FLUID?
Your healthcare practitioner may suspect this problem of your uterus is
growing more rapidly than it should. You may also have unusual abdominal
discomfort, increased back pain, shortness of breath and extreme swelling in
your fee and ankles. If you have these symptoms, you need to be ultrasound.

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