Low Amniotic Fluid

[fireash81]

Hi all im new here im Ashley and expecting my first child on july 22 we are currently 22 week this thursday 19th Mar.

We went for our 21 week ultrasound on friday and picked up the results yesturday we got a phone call from our GP at 630 pm telling us that there is not enough Amniotic Fluid and the baby might die and that we needed to see an Obstratrician urgently so we went to the hospital and was informed we need to go to a Foetal Medicine Unit the hospital was trying to get us into Royal North Shore.

Kim's AF level is 5

Has anyone been here before or can provide information on what to expect etc whats happening ?

Any help would be great please feel free to contact my email ajs81@bigpond.com

[paradise lost]

First of all don't panic!

Low amniotic fluid is diagnosed on the index as equal to or less than 5, so you're only JUST into that level. Make sure you're well-hydrated and make an appointment to see the Ob.

Low amniotic fluid CAN indicate a problem with the baby, with it's kidneys or urinary tract. But it often doesn't mean anything, and is a very controversial diagnostic tool due to the number of people who are sent with urgent needs for scans/tests for low AF and are actually carrying what turns out to be a perfectly normal healthy pregnancy that just happened to have a bit less AF than usual that day. Also bear in mind that accurate measurement of AF depends on an experienced sonographer. It is a skill, akin to measuring how much water there is in a glass bath viewed from below with a person in it! Not easy.

So stay hydrated, see the ob, and see what they say. It is likely there's nothing wrong, but getting it checked out is best for you both.

Bx

[Lenny]

I carried my DS until his exact due date having been told that I had low amniotic fluid (5) from about 23 weeks. It continued to slowly fall until 40 weeks.
It was very hot weather, so I had to stay extra hydrated. I was told to not smoke or drink (didn't anyway of course).
I had to have weekly scans and then towards the end I had heart monitoring every few days.
My son was fine and is fine.
I was told it was important to keep an eye one as there is not much of a cushion around bubs and therefore (amongst other things) they have the potential to squash their own cord more easily.

As i said, my DS is fine and my preganancy continued to full term, and i had a natural labour etc.

All the best.