Polyhydramnios Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Polyhydramnios is one of the obstacles in pregnancy. This condition is characterized by too much amniotic fluid (amniotic fluid) in the uterus of a pregnant woman.
In the condition of polyhydramnios, usually, the amount of amniotic fluid can be more than two liters. Compare this with the normal condition of amniotic fluid at 10–20 weeks of gestation, which is around 50–250 ml. Then when entering weeks 30-40, the normal amount of amniotic fluid reaches 500-1500 ml.
Amniotic fluid is one of the important things in pregnancy. This fluid functions to maintain and help the development of the fetus while in the womb. Other functions of amniotic fluid for the fetus include:
• Keeping the temperature in the womb stable
• Protecting the fetus from infection
• Keeping the fetus moving freely while in the womb so that the baby’s bones can develop
• Dampening vibrations that come from outside the womb
Symptoms
Sometimes polyhydramnios doesn’t cause any complaints in pregnant women. It’s just that the belly of the pregnant woman will look bigger than it should be. Less specific symptoms may also occur, which are also commonly experienced by other pregnant women. For example shortness of breath, swollen legs and feet, stomach feeling full, and difficulty defecating.
The condition of polyhydramnios must be watched out for because it often causes complications in pregnancy, such as:
• Premature labour, namely delivery at a gestational age of less than 37 weeks
• Abnormalities in the location of the fetus
• Disorders of the umbilical cord
Reason
The exact cause of polyhydramnios is not known until now. However, there are several conditions in the mother and fetus that are thought to be the cause of polyhydramnios, including:
• Twin pregnancies
• Pregnant women have diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
• There is a blockage in the baby’s digestive tract
• Blood disorders in the form of rhesus incompatibility (usually occurs in women who have negative rhesus blood group, while the baby they are carrying has positive rhesus blood type)
• Presence of genetic abnormalities in the fetus
Diagnosis
Doctors can generally suspect polyhydramnios if the size of a pregnant woman’s uterus is larger than it should be and the fetus is difficult to feel during an examination. To confirm polyhydramnios, the doctor will do an abdominal ultrasound.
If too much amniotic fluid is found, the doctor will recommend further tests to find the cause. One of the most frequent causes of this one pregnancy problem is diabetes during pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women who experience polyhydramnios are advised to undergo blood sugar checks in the form of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
Treatment
Treatment for polyhydramnios depends on the situation experienced by the pregnant woman. If there is a lot of amniotic fluid that interferes with fetal growth, it is necessary to take action to remove some of the amniotic fluid (amniocentesis) by a doctor.
If polyhydramnios is accompanied by abnormalities in the location of the fetus or other pregnancy complications, generally delivery will be planned by cesarean section. In addition, if polyhydramnios is suspected to be related to possible defects in the fetus, pregnant women are usually advised to undergo delivery at a health facility that has NICU ( neonatal intensive care unit ) facilities.
But not infrequently, pregnant women with polyhydramnios can still have normal deliveries and give birth to healthy babies.
Prevention
There is no action that can be taken to prevent polyhydramnios. However, to plan for safe delivery and prevent complications, make sure that pregnant women undergo routine checks at the doctor or midwife.
During routine prenatal checkups, pregnant women should also convey all complaints or uncomfortable symptoms that arise during pregnancy to the doctor. Thus the doctor can assess the health condition of pregnant women as a whole.