women s health issues
Problems With Amniotic Fluid
Diagnosis of Amniotic Fluid Problems
A doctor's evaluation Ultrasonography Tests to identify the cause Doctors may suspect too much or too little amniotic fluid when the uterus is too large or too small for the length of the pregnancy or when the fetus is not moving as much as expected. Sometimes the problem is incidentally detected during ultrasonography. If a problem is detected, doctors can use ultrasonography to determine how much amniotic fluid is present. If doctors detect too much or too little amniotic fluid, they check for a possible cause. For example, they may examine the vagina and cervix to determine whether the membranes around the fetus have ruptured too soon. Blood tests may be done to check for disorders that can affect amniotic fluid (such as infections or diabetes). Ultrasonography and other tests (possibly Amniocentesis ) may be done to check for birth defects and genetic abnormalities in the fetus. 