Patient's question:
Medical Description: Female, first pregnancy, entering the 17th week, experiencing mild pain in the left hip area, approximately where it connects to the waist, for several days without disappearing. This has never happened before. The only health issue is chronic rhinitis for many years, with no other diseases.History of Treatment and Effect: No treatment has been administered.
Desired Help: What could be the cause? What should be done? Will it affect the fetus?
Doctor's answer:
Women with less than 300 mL of amniotic fluid in the late stage of pregnancy are referred to as having oligohydramnios. Oligohydramnios in the early and middle stages of pregnancy is often terminated by miscarriage. When oligohydramnios occurs, the amniotic fluid appears viscous, turbid, and dark green. In the past, it was believed that the incidence of oligohydramnios was approximately 0.1%, but in recent years, due to the widespread use of B-mode ultrasound, the detection rate of oligohydramnios has increased to 0.5% to 4%. Oligohydramnios is a serious condition that significantly affects the prognosis of the perinatal infant and has gained attention.## Etiology
Since the mechanisms of amniotic fluid production and circulation have not been fully elucidated, the causes of many cases of oligohydramnios remain unknown. Clinically, the following conditions are commonly observed:
1. Fetal malformations
Such as congenital renal agenesis, renal hypoplasia, or ureteral/urethral stenosis in the fetus, which can lead to reduced or absent urine production, resulting in oligohydramnios.
2. Postterm pregnancy
During postterm pregnancy, placental function declines, leading to insufficient perfusion and fetal dehydration, which causes oligohydramnios. Some scholars also suggest that in postterm pregnancy, the fetus may become overly mature, increasing the sensitivity of its renal tubules to antidiuretic hormone, resulting in reduced urine output and oligohydramnios.