Low amniotic fluid in the first six months of pregnancy is generally more dangerous. These complications could include miscarriage, physical deformities of the developing fetus including lungs that don’t develop properly or premature birth. Yes, a fetus drinks amniotic fluid in the uterus. This helps them practice swallowing and develops their digestive system. Does a baby breathe in amniotic fluid?

A pH closer to 4.5 will indicate no to little detection of amniotic fluids, while a higher pH will signal higher levels of amniotic fluids. If your test results indicate higher levels of amniotic fluids, your midwife may suggest optimal delivery windows, a home care plan, or to wait for other signs of labor. It’s vital you and your midwife communicate transparently about risks, outcomes, and gestation periods to ensure feasible conclusions. Your health care provider may offer additional testing if you have a diagnosis of polyhydramnios. Testing will be based on your risk factors, exposure to infections and prior evaluations of your baby. Additional tests may include:

Risks

Sometimes, waters break before any other signs of labour, including contractions. This happens for about one woman in 10 at term (NCCWCH 2008, NHS Digital 2018). This test involves testing the pH of a sample of vaginal fluid. Normal vaginal pH is between 4.5 and 6.0. Amniotic fluid has a higher pH of 7.1 to 7.3. Therefore, if the membranes have ruptured, the pH of the sample of vaginal fluid will be higher than normal.

Your doctor will likely perform a physical exam and run some tests, including an ultrasound exam. He or she may also ask you a number of questions, such as:Newson L. 2015. Meconium aspiration. Patient, Professional articles. patient.info Opens a new window [Accessed September 2019] You need to lie still while the needle is put in and the amniotic fluid is taken out. You might feel a sting when the needle enters your skin. You might feel cramping when the needle enters your uterus. After the procedure Preterm PROM before the 24th week is rare. However, it often results in death of the fetus because the baby’s lungs are not able to develop properly. If the baby survives, they will often have long-term problems, including: Tommy's. 2017. What to expect when your waters break. Tommy's – the baby charity. www.tommys.org Opens a new window [Accessed September 2019] Pooling. Your provider will insert the speculum and look at the cervix. Fluid will come out of your cervix and pool inside the speculum.

Unless the baby’s lungs are fully mature, the health care provider will want to wait to induce labor. You will talk about your own situation and the risks and treatment options available to you and your baby. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/low-amniotic-fluid/faq-20057964 NCCWCH. 2014. Intrapartum care: care of healthy women and their babies during childbirth. Updated February 2017. National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health, Clinical guideline, 190. www.nice.org.uk Opens a new window [Accessed September 2019] Medication. Your health care provider may prescribe the oral medication indomethacin (Indocin) to help reduce fetal urine production and amniotic fluid volume. Indomethacin isn't recommended beyond 31 weeks of pregnancy. Due to the risk of fetal heart problems, your baby's heart may need to be monitored with a fetal echocardiogram and Doppler ultrasound. Other side effects may include nausea, vomiting, acid reflux and inflammation of the lining of the stomach (gastritis).Plan a hospital birth at 37 weeks, unless there are complications that mean that it's safer for your baby to be born sooner. If you tested positive for group B streptococcus (GBS) during pregnancy, your doctor or midwife will offer you an induction as soon as possible, along with antibiotics via drip (RCOG 2017, Scorza 2018). This will help to protect your baby from contracting a GBS infection. Infection of newborns by GBS is unusual, but can be harmful if it happens (RCOG 2017). NHS Digital. 2018. Table 7.d: Delivery complications recorded by length of gestation, 2017-18. NHS Maternity Statistics, 2017-2018, HES NHS maternity statistics tables. digital.nhs.uk Opens a new window [Accessed September 2019] Amniotic fluid is odorless and clear, though sometimes it's tinged with blood or mucus. If amniotic fluid is infected, it may have a foul smell. Leaking amniotic fluid at the final stages of pregnancy can be a concerning issue for the pregnant woman, as she is not sure whether labor is beginning. Moreover, if your water breaks earlier than expected, it may be an indicator of preterm labor or even miscarriage.

The last stages of pregnancy are special, but they sometimes can include discharge or leaks. Here is a closer look at how your midwife may test for amniotic fluid leaks.AmnioSense (Common Sense Ltd) is a non-invasive diagnostic pad. The pad is designed to assess unexplained vaginal wetness during pregnancy. Vaginal wetness can result from leaking amniotic fluid and may indicate amniotic membrane rupture. Premature membrane rupture needs urgent medical attention. https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/gynecology-and-obstetrics/abnormalities-and-complications-of-labor-and-delivery/premature-rupture-of-membranes-prom Lung and digestive system development: By breathing and swallowing the amniotic fluid, the baby practices using the muscles of these systems as they grow. Thomson AJ, on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. 2019. Care of women presenting with suspected preterm prelabour rupture of membranes from 24+0 weeks of gestation. BJOG obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com Opens a new window [Accessed June 2019] Normally, the level of amniotic fluid is at its highest around 36 of pregnancy, measuring around 1 quart. This level decreases as birth nears.