Does ultrasound detect amniotic fluid leakage?

The article was consulted professionally by Specialist I Pham Thi Yen – Obstetrician and Gynecologist – Share99 Hai Phong International Health Hub.

Amniotic fluid is a liquid solution that creates a protective environment for the fetus to develop. The entire amniotic fluid is located in the amniotic sac with components such as hormones, nutrients, cells of the immune system, urine of the baby. At most the amount of amniotic fluid in the pregnant womb will be about 1 liter. From the 36th week cyclic, the amount of amniotic fluid will gradually decrease in preparation for the baby's birth. However, there are some cases where the mother breaks the amniotic fluid or leaks the amniotic fluid early in pregnancy.

Amniotic fluid is a condition where amniotic fluid comes out of the vagina slowly in very small lines, so many pregnant mothers do not notice or think that they have urination. Amniotic fluid is also a sign that the amniotic membrane is thinner and at risk of rupture at any time. Amniotic fluid will cause the fetal habitat to gradually be affected, the role of oxygen and nutrient supply is affected, which can gradually lead to fetal malformations, fetal failure, even premature birth, still life …

This premature amniotic leakage can be caused by many causes but can be caused by excessive stretching of the amniotic fluid in cases of multiple pregnancies, multiple amniotic fluid, diabetes mellitus, inflammation of the amniotic membrane, women with open uterus, narrow pelvis.

If the amniotic fluid leaks out too much, it will lead to a shortage or exhaustion of amniotic fluid. Or amniotic fluid can also flow massively due to rupture of the amniotic membrane, also known as amniotic rupture, which is a sign of women's labor.

Amniotic fluid is often recognized by pregnant women as soon as abnormal water is seen. If the gestational week is 37 weeks er and the pregnant mother sees that the bladder appears to be full faster, prone to a little urine when sneezing, when laughing or even when doing nothing, sometimes seeing wet fluid flowing to the bottom of the panties, it is advisable to prepare the prep item gradually because you will probably feel the mounds in the next 24 hours.

The distinction of amniotic fluid from urine, vaginal fluid needs certain experiences. Usually amniotic fluid will have some of the following characteristics:

Assessment of the rate of discharge: In the last months of pregnancy many pregnant mothers experience urinary incontinence due to the bladder being pinched by the uterus causing urine to leak out. Since the bladder and uterus are located inside the abdomen, many mothers are confused between amniotic fluid and urinary incontinence. However, if you pay close attention, you will notice when the amniotic fluid leakage rate of the liquid is slower than that of urine.

Observe and smell: It is quite an easy sign to tell if the amniotic fluid is leaking or not. When you see the damp enclosure, check and watch the color of the liquid fluid flowing out. If wet and odorless, colorless or may be pale beige pink, the color is like rice water but diluted like water, not as dense as vaginal fluid, then the pregnant mother has rusted the amniotic fluid. Urine usually smells bad, light yellow or dark yellow.

This observation also helps pregnant mothers to recognize abnormal cases of amniotic fluid such as:

• Blue amniotic fluid can be a manifestation of amniotic fluid with both coins, warning of the risk of choking in the fetus.
• Amniotic fluid of pink, red and blood color can be a condition where the woman has a striker vegetable, which should be examined immediately.
• Yellow amniotic fluid with a bad smell can be an infection of amniotic fluid, which also requires early intervention.

Try purple kneeling paper: When the amniotic fluid leaks, use purple kneeling paper to check the pH concentration. If the purple kneeling paper does not change color, it is urine, if it turns dark (blue-black) then it proves that the amniotic membrane is leaking.

In general, amniotic fluid or amniotic rupture does not cause pain to the pregnant mother, but these are all warning signs and need to go to the hospital for an immediate check-up.

During pre-birth pregnancy ultrasounds, your doctor will usually estimate the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus. There are 2 indicators used to assess the amount of amniotic fluid: AFI (measured vertically of the amniotic sac) or MPV. The amount of amniotic fluid is considered low if the AFI index <5cm hoặc MPV<2cm.

Sufficient amniotic fluid is the ideal environment for the fetus to develop. Excessive amniotic fluid (multiple amniotic fluid) or too little (amniotic mitigation) also affects the development of the baby as well as the process of childbirth later.

Usually the amount of amniotic fluid will gradually increase with gestational age and reach the highest level at the 36th week. During pregnancy the amount of amniotic fluid will be about:

• Week 12: 60ml
• Week 16: 175ml
• Week 34-38: 400-1000ml

In fact, the ultrasound will not help the pregnant mother detect amniotic fluid, only the pregnant mother is the one who notices and detects the earliest amniotic fluid leakage. Ultrasound only helps to assess how much amniotic fluid is, from which the doctor concludes that amniotic fluid is lacking or sufficient to take measures to treat and avoid endangering the fetus.

If you are not yet 37 weeks pregnant and find wet panties, you need to go to the nearest hospital quickly for a specific diagnosis. Then if the amniotic fluid leaks little or has a mild infection, the doctor can still intervene to help protect the fetus. If the pregnant woman is 37 weeks pregnant or more and sees the above phenomena, it is advisable to prepare all the necessary tools for falling ill as it is possible that labor mounds will appear within the next 24 hours.

If the pregnant woman is sure she is having an amniotic fluid leak, avoid using tam tamings, having sex or soaking in the bath. During pregnancy and gestation, it is important to maintain regular hygiene and gynecologic examinations. Because if there is inflammation, it will also be treated promptly, reducing the risk of amniotic rupture during pregnancy and adversely affecting the development of the fetus.

At Share99 International Health Hub, there is a full maternity service as a solution to help pregnant mothers feel secure because there is a team of doctors throughout the pregnancy. When choosing a full-service maternity, a pregnant woman can:

• The process of pregnancy is monitored by a team of specialists
• Regular examination, early detection of abnormalities
• Package maternity for the convenience of childbirth
• Infants receive comprehensive care

Dr Pham Thi Yen has 11 years of experience in examination and treatment in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Doctors with strengths and insights in:

• Examination and consultation of common pregnancies, pathology pregnancies, high-risk pregnancies
• Examination and treatment of gynecologic diseases: cervical inflammation, cervical glands
• Laparoscopic surgery of gynecological diseases : extra-uterine pregnancy, uterine tumor , ovarian tumor
• Surgery for breast tumors, vaginal, cervical tumors
• Obstetric surgery : pregnancy surgery, examination
• Treatment of female endormonal disorders of all ages: puberty, reproduction age; pre-menopause.

To register for examination and treatment at Share99 International Health Hub, you can contact Share99 Health System nationwide, or register for an online examination HERE

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