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Doctors monitor the amount of amniotic fluid that is present in the uterus during pregnancy. Doctors may become suspicious of low fluid levels if you are measuring small for your date of pregnancy, if the baby is not as active as he should be or if you have diabetes, high blood pressure or lupus. Ultrasound examinations will reveal low levels of fluid surrounding the fetus. Any measurement less than 5 cm is considred low. Approximately 8% of pregnant women have low levels of fluid and only 4% are actually diagnosed with oligohydramnios. If your amniotic fluids are measuring low, you will be closely monitored by your healthcare provider. Stress and non-stress tests will be routinely offered and recommended to monitor your baby's condition. Some doctors will inject fluid into the uterus via amniocentesis and other doctors prefer to have the mother drink an abundance of water or receive IV fluids to increase the fluid levels.
Oligohyramnios can be caused by a variety of factors. The amniotic fluid levels will decrease as the mother passes her due date and will decrease significantly by the time she is 42 weeks pregnant. This is because the placenta deteriorates as the pregnancy goes overdue and placental problems can cause low levels of amniotic fluid. If a mother's water has broken or is leaking, the amniotic fluid levels will definitely be low. Birth defects that affect the baby's kidneys and urinary tract can cause oligohydramnios, because there is little urine being produced by the fetus. A mother that is carrying twins, triplets or higher is at greater risk of developing oligohydramnios during the pregnancy.
Because amniotic fluid is critical in the fetus' development, low levels can be dangerous for the baby. Low amniotic fluid levels can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, growth restrictions and preterm labor.
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