Amniotic fluid or amniotic fluid is an aquatic environment that surrounds the baby from an early pregnancy and up to the time of delivery. In this environment, the child is comfortable both in temperature and in general sensations. The liquid protects it from mechanical injuries, nourishes it, gives a sense of security.
Since amniotic fluid plays an important role during pregnancy, doctors closely monitor it. Especially it concerns such an indicator as the amount of amniotic fluid. Normally, the pregnancy of amniotic fluid should be at least 500 and not more than 2000 ml.
Of course, at its earliest date it is only 30 ml, but closer to 37 weeks, the volume reaches its peak value of 1500 ml. Closer to childbirth, this volume decreases to almost 800 ml. The composition of the amniotic fluid also changes. If at the beginning of pregnancy it is similar in structure to the blood plasma, then in later terms, the products of the baby's life are mixed here. Of course, the water is cleaned - about every 3 hours, they are completely updated.
Functions of amniotic fluid
Among the appointments of amniotic fluid - amortization and protection against possible injuries, help in the process of metabolism between mother and child, baby nutrition, oxygen delivery.
And in the process of giving birth, amniotic fluid helps in opening the cervix, acting as a hydraulic wedge and "ramming" the way for the baby to exit.
Analysis of amniotic fluid
In some cases, doctors send the pregnant woman to the amniotic fluid intake for analysis. This procedure is called amniocentesis and involves a puncture of the bladder.
Among the indications for amniocentesis:
- Rhesus-conflict between mother and child;
- suspicion of chromosomal pathologies;
- suspected hypoxia (oxygen starvation) of the fetus;
- in case of necessity of early delivery, amniocentesis helps to find out the readiness of the fetal lungs for childbirth.
The study of amniotic fluid allows to know the sex of the future child , his blood group, probable hereditary diseases. But this analysis can only be carried out from the 14th week of pregnancy.
It is extremely rare, but occurs among pregnant women such pathology as embolism with amniotic fluid ( embolism of the amniotic fluid ). This occurs when fluid enters the mother's bloodstream and provokes a spasm of the branches of the woman's pulmonary artery. In 70-90% of cases it ends in a lethal outcome. Fortunately, such a phenomenon occurs in 1 of 20-30 thousand genera.