Amniotic fluid in pregnancy
We know that the amniotic fluid is a fluid that surrounds the baby y, and much is spoken during pregnancy, since we can examine it to know the karyotype of the baby and diagnose possible chromosomal diseases; but especially in the face of childbirth: when we break water we must determine whether the
We know that the amniotic fluid is a fluid that surrounds the baby y, and much is spoken during pregnancy, since we can examine it to know the karyotype of the baby and diagnose possible chromosomal diseases; but especially in the face of childbirth: when we break water we must determine whether the liquid is clear or not.However, today we are going to discuss curiosities about this important liquid.
How is amniotic fluid formed?
In the first trimester this liquid is an ultrafiltrate of the maternal blood plasma, and its composition is very similar, but from week 12, also the baby intervenes in its production and quantity with the filtering of its kidney. It is known that as of week 18 or 20
90% of the amniotic fluid is produced by the baby : the fetus fills its bladder every half hour and empties it, thus renewing the liquid several times a day.The composition of the amniotic fluid changes throughout pregnancy, it looks a lot like the maternal plasma and the degree of salinity that it presents is similar to seawater.
What are the functions of the fluid in the mother's womb? Sir - It acts as a shock absorber: it protects you from external injuries and prevents you from being damaged by the pressure exerted by your own organs.
- Keeps the baby at the temperature of the mother's organism.
- Helps develop the lungs.
- Allows you to move freely.
- Prevents umbilical cord compression
- Provides ions and proteins.
How much amniotic fluid can we have?
Around week 34 or 36 of pregnancy we have the maximum amount of liquid, between 800-1000 ml. As of week 38 that amount begins to decrease, that is why the gynecologist will check the amount of fluid by ultrasound.
Is it bad to have little or a lot of amniotic fluid?
In many cases of alteration in the amount of amniotic fluid, pregnancies end with healthy babies and mothers; No problem.
However, the excessive amount (polyhydramnios) or scarce (oligohydramnios) require a more thorough medical control since they can indicate some pathology of the mother, the placenta or the baby as gestational diabetes, malformations in the fetus, non-functioning placenta, fissure in the bag, problems in the baby's renal system, etc.
