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An AFI between 8 and 18 cm is considered normal. [5] Median AFI level is approximately 14 cm from week 20 to week 35, [6] when the amniotic fluid begins to reduce in preparation for birth. An AFI smaller than 5–6 cm is considered as oligohydramnios. [3] The exact number can vary by gestational age.
Oligohydramnios is a medical condition in pregnancy characterized by a deficiency of amniotic fluid, the fluid that surrounds the fetus in the abdomen, in the amniotic sac. The limiting case is anhydramnios , where there is a complete absence of amniotic fluid.
The presence of these biophysical variables implies absence of significant central nervous system hypoxemia/acidemia at the time of testing. By comparison, a compromised fetus typically exhibits loss of accelerations of the fetal heart rate (FHR), decreased body movement and breathing, hypotonia, and, less acutely, decreased amniotic fluid volume.
Amniotic fluid is removed from the mother by an amniocentesis procedure, where a long needle is inserted through the abdomen into the amniotic sac, using ultrasound guidance such that the fetus is not harmed. Amniocentesis is a low risk procedure, with risk of pregnancy loss between 1 in 1,500 – 1 in 700 procedures.
Marisa Christie had an amniotic fluid embolism after giving birth to her triplets. A week later, she woke surprised to learn she'd delivered the babies. Mom, 30, was 'clinically dead' for 45 minutes.
Some degree of weight gain is expected during pregnancy. The enlarging uterus, growing fetus, placenta, amniotic fluid, normal increase in body fat, and increase in water retention all contribute weight gain during pregnancy. The amount of weight gain can vary from 5 pounds (2.3 kg) to over 100 pounds (45 kg).
Usual follow-up steps include (1) a prenatal ultrasound exam to look for fetal abnormalities and/or (2) measurement of AFP in amniotic fluid obtained via amniocentesis. Maternal serum AFP (MSAFP) varies by orders of magnitude during the course of a normal pregnancy. MSAFP increases rapidly until about 32 weeks gestation, then decreases gradually.
Dr. Comisha Holloman, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital, says shortness of breath during pregnancy is typically caused by hormonal and physiologic changes. For ...