Question about low amniotic fluid at 30 weeks

Well, I had my 30 week appointment today. My blood pressure is creeping up so I know pre-eclampsia is coming soon. I was diagnosed with pre-e with Colton at 31 weeks so I'm not surprised. My cerclage is still holding up even though my cervix is soft and thinner than 3 weeks ago.

I also had an NST today and the girls passed with flying colors. Following the NST, I had a growth scan. Well, everything was measuring right on target except their abdomens. The tech mentioned that neither of the girls had a full belly. I wasn't sure where she was going with that. Their abdomens were measuring 28 weeks. Then, she measured some pockets of fluid. She was quiet and the next thing I knew, another tech came in and measured the fluid. Neither of them were saying much to me, but I heard them whispering to each other about the fact that they were surprised the girls passed the NST with such low fluid. I started getting really nervous when the MFM doc came in to measure me himself.

He's a foreign doc and hard to understand, but basically he said both girls have low fluid and we'll recheck them again on Monday. Ummm....ok. Of course, I have no idea what the fluid measurements were. I was a bit stunned so I guess I'll have to arm myself with questions next week. He just said drink lots of water and rest.

Anyone else go through this? Other than bedrest and drinking lots of water (which I'm already doing), exactly what can be done?? What does the smaller abdomen have to do with oligohydramnios, if anything?

I know you'd think I'd know this stuff being an L&D RN, but I help deliver term babies. I have no experience with preterm deliveries or complications. There's a big difference.

Thanks in advance!

 

Hi, We have a similar situation. At my 28 week appt last week my Baby A measured very low fluid 1 cm and they thought her stomach was a week behind her sisters. My Peri has diagnosed her with IUGR. They said she is not getting enough from the placenta as she should be. They said her growth is slowing down but this could last for some time. As long as her blood flows stay normal they will not take them out as she is still better off in utero than out. I am now going for weekly ultrasounds (next week they will check growth again) and NSTs 3 X per week. My girls always pass their NSTs with flying colors as well.

Our IUGR is due to TTTS laser surgery but I believe a their can be problems with the placenta in any pregnancy. Did they mention anything about the placenta being a problem?

Anyway, I will be thinking of you and your girls and hope they hang in there for a while longer! Keep me posted.

 

I had a similar situation. Abby had low fluid starting around 28 weeks. I went to the peri every week and she checked her flui. It stayed the same for 7 weeks. At 34 weeks 6 days we delivered. It was not because she had lost any fluid but because she was out of room. Her sister was squishing her!! They spent 11 days in NICU and were perfectly healthy.
My thoughts are with you. If you have any questions or want to talk PM me!!

 

That is why they pulled me out of work and I ended up on modified bedrest at 30 weeks. Addison (babyA) had low fluid and was not growing as good as she was before - she too measured 28 weeks at 30. - My MFM doctor told me to drink lots of water and put me on modified bed rest. It got kind of scary because at each visit, they would make sure I knew that if it got worse, they would go ahead with the c-section. luckily it never came to that - they were born at 38 weeks 4 days and Addison was actually a tiny bit larger than her sister!!! 6.9 and Ava was 6.8 !! the last u/s we had stiil had Addison measuring behind - and Ava measuring over 7 pounds!!

 

Lynne, they told me that Baby A had low fluid. The "fix" was to go swimming (not active) and float around in the pool. What that supposedly does is take the fluid collecting everywhere else in your body and put it back (at least temporarily). I was prescribed swimming EVERYDAY for about 40 min. (IF YOU CAN DO IT, GO DO IT!) You can do it in the bathtub, but it wasn't as good for me!

When I would get out of the pool my cankles were gone for a while at least!! It was WONDERFUL to be weightless. I think that if the fluids going back in can help the babies you should really think about doing it!! :hug99: Good luck!! Please do everything you can to keep them in there as long as possible!! :hug99: Stay off your feet as well (if you are working, that will be hard!).

Good luck to you!!! :hug99:

 

I would like to add that along with drinking lots of water.....lay off of caffiene....it is a natural diuretic, and it pushes the fluids out!

Keep up the good work Momma and get lots of rest!

 

Were they thinking of the girls belly size in relation to the amount of fluid? I know babies swallow fluid and pee it out while in utero and that makes up a large amount of the amniotic fluid itself. When my fluid was lower one week I started asking and the doctor pointed out that both of my boys had full bladders at the time (assuming that once they both peed it would add to the volume of fluid?) However my fluid levels were still within normal limits for both babies.Maybe they were thinking that a certain amount of fluid had be swallowed and not returned yet? I don't know it is just a guess. Good luck on Monday.

 

I think the lower fluid levels have to do with the belly size because the babies swallow and pee out the amniotic fluid. So, they should be able to see full stomoachs and bladders. If the babies aren't doing that, then that's why your dr is concerned. We had TTTS and one of our twins had no fluid at one point. I was on bedrest and drinking lots of water, which you are already doing. Also, make sure you eat enough calories, especially protein. Obviously, if babies don't pee, that's a sign something is going on - take it easy, and focus your energy on those babies! You should also ask about the cord dopplers, because poor blood flow to the baby (or increased resistance of some kind) could be contributing to this.

Good luck! Keep us posted!
Jenny

 

Drink tons of water. Ask for a bio physical profile. They score the babies 0 through 8 on things like movement, practice breathing, etc. My babies had TTTS and Baby A had no amniotic fluid and only got a 2 out of 8. I was admitted to the hospital. I kept them both in me with hospital bedrest until 35 weeks! Everyone is right, babies swallow amniotic fluid and then pee it out. Good luck, you got them to an awesome gestation so far!