Hydramnios is a kind of condition in a pregnancy where the woman has too much of amniotic fluids.
In routine pregnancy USG there are mainly 2 ways to measure the amount of amniotic fluid present in the uterus. The first one is the AFI or the amniotic fluid index where the amount of this fluid is mainly measured in 4 different pockets of the uterus. One can fear of too much amniotic fluid in third trimester and so one can go for the test and it is normal if the AFI ranges in between 5 to 24 centimetres. The second way to find it is by measuring the deepest pocket of fluid present in the uterus and if it is measured over 8 centimetres then it is termed as polyhydraminos.

The range of it completely depends on how many months a woman is in pregnancy because; the fluid level automatically increases in the third trimester and then goes down again.

Now what are the reasons behind polyhydramnios? Well, there are definitely some major causes and they are:
• If there is a physical abnormality present in the foetus like a kind of spinal cord defect or some digestive system blockages.
• If a woman is carrying a twin or other multiples.
• There is a maternal or gestational diabetes.
• If there is a foetal anaemia or anaemia that is mainly caused by Rh incompatibility (where the baby and the mother has different blood types).
• There are some infections or other genetic defects.

According to medical studies, foetal abnormalities are the most complicated cause for polyhydraminos and that is why; they are also very rare.
One should remember that even if there is a proper USG testing, getting 100 percent accurate results are not possible. There are some associations with elevated AFI and poor outcomes of the baby. If that happens then there are chances of increased risk in case of pre term delivery and increased risk for admission to the neonatal care unit.

In some cases, the p polyhydramnios can be resolved quickly but the doctors still continue to check the fluid levels on a regular basis to ensure that the levels are under control.

Here are some major risks of polyhydramnios.

• The risk of this case can vary depending on the how many months one is pregnant and how sever the condition is. If the case is more severe then there can be high chances of complications during the time of baby delivery.
• There is also an increased chance of having a breech baby because when there is more fluid, the baby can have trouble getting their head down.
• There is also an increased risk of umbilical cord pro lapse and it happens when the umbilical cord slips out of the uterus and into the vagina before the bay is out for delivery.
• There is also an increased risk of bleeding complications after birth.
But there can be mild hydramnios in third trimester and one needs to check it.

Author's Bio: 

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