Patient's question:
I am very scared when this happens. I often have lower abdominal pain and don't know how to solve it, so I came here to consult. Could you please tell me why there is too much amniotic fluid in the late stages of pregnancy?Doctor's answer:
PolyhydramniosDuring normal pregnancy, the amount of amniotic fluid increases with gestational age and gradually decreases starting from the last 2-4 weeks. At full term, the volume of amniotic fluid is approximately 1000 milliliters. If the amniotic fluid volume exceeds 2000 milliliters during the later stages of pregnancy, it is referred to as polyhydramnios. Based on the timing of onset and the rate of fluid accumulation, polyhydramnios is classified as either acute or chronic. Acute polyhydramnios typically occurs between weeks 16-24 and is abrupt in onset, while chronic polyhydramnios develops gradually over several weeks during the later stages of pregnancy.
The management of polyhydramnios primarily depends on whether the fetus has any abnormalities and the severity of symptoms in the pregnant woman. If the symptoms are severe or the fetus has abnormalities, pregnancy should be terminated immediately, followed by artificial rupture of membranes and induction of labor. If the fetus is normal and symptoms are mild, with no significant discomfort in the pregnant woman, a low-salt diet may be recommended, and sedatives can be used as needed. Close monitoring of changes in amniotic fluid volume should be maintained until full-term delivery.