The hormonal and physiologic changes during pregnancy are unique in the life of women. Discover what they are here. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Michael Weber, M. Fluid levels Amniotic fluid leak symptoms Risk factors Call your doctor Next steps Intro Amniotic fluid is the warm, fluid cushion that protects and supports your baby as they grow in the womb.
Fluid levels throughout your pregnancy could be around: 60 milliliters mL at 12 weeks gestation mL at 16 weeks gestation to 1, mL between 34 and 38 weeks gestation Your doctor can measure your amniotic fluid levels using an ultrasound.
Symptoms of amniotic fluid leakage. Risk factors for amniotic fluid leakage. When to call your doctor. Next steps. Share on Pinterest.
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It does a lot! The amniotic sac that holds your baby forms about 12 days after conception and is at first filled with mostly water. In this case, the fluid usually looks green or brown. If this happens, your doctor will determine whether or not baby needs treatment after birth to prevent breathing problems.
A normal level of amniotic fluid is about one quart by 36 weeks pregnant. From 36 weeks onward, your fluid level drops until your water breaks. Your doctor will use an ultrasound to measure the amount of fluid around your baby by using the amniotic fluid index AFI and the maximum vertical pocket MPV. AFI checks the depth of fluid in four areas of your uterus, while the MPV measures the fluid level in the deepest area. Oligohydramnios is the condition defined by having too little amniotic fluid.
Signs of this condition include:. Treatment options will depend on how far along you are, and in some cases, there are ways to increase amniotic fluid levels. Believe it or not, one of the most common reasons women come to the maternity unit is because they're leaking something.
Most of the time, it's not amniotic fluid but— you guessed it—pee. When you've got a baby pressing on your bladder, sometimes it leaks. If it looks like pee, smells like pee and you can stop the flow by squeezing muscles or getting off the trampoline, it's probably pee. If not, it might be amniotic fluid. A true amniotic leak can't be controlled, usually continues leaking once it starts but not always , is generally clear with the occasional white specks unless there's meconium and may or may not be followed up with contractions.
When in doubt, call. If you get a major leak, your pants will be wet, your car seat or couch will be wet, you'll make a splash at the grocery store and there won't be any doubt in your mind.
Tough choice, right? Hopefully, you won't have to experience either and most of the time, you won't be the one to make that choice. They save that for those times when the perineum vaginal tissue just won't stretch anymore and they really, really, need to get that baby out.
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