During your second trimester, you may notice the doctor writing "polyhydramnios" on your ultrasound transcripts but may not explain what it means. We’ve gathered some information on polyhydramnios for you in case you're diagnosed with it.
What is polyhydramnios?
Polyhydramnios is an increase in the volume of amniotic fluid. Mild polyhydramnios often causes few or no symptoms. Some women may experience symptoms like:
shortness of breath
swelling in the ankles or feet
your tummy suddenly gets bigger
constipation
fatigue
feelings of tightness in the muscles of the uterus, called contractions.
These can be common problems for pregnant women and are not necessarily caused by polyhydramnios [1, 2]. So talk to your gynecologist about your concerns.
Why is polyhydramnios dangerous?
Polyhydramnios is usually a symptom of other conditions, such as [1]:
developmental defects in a child
diabetes mellitus in mom
anemia in baby
intrauterine infections (eg. rubella or cytomegalovirus).
Severe polyhydramnios can cause premature birth and should not be ignored.
What other exams can help diagnose polyhydramnios?
If the doctor saw polyhydramnios on an ultrasound scan, then the main task is to find out what caused it. Your doctor may refer you for:
a repeated ultrasound by a specialist
a glucose tolerance test if earlier blood glucose values were normal [3]
blood glucose tests if the mother has been diagnosed with diabetes
tests for detecting infections [3]
analysis to identify anti-Rh antibodies if the mother has a negative blood Rh factor [3].
What is glucose tolerance?
Sometimes diabetes is latent. When you take a fasting blood test, glucose levels may return to normal. During the glucose tolerance test, you will have several blood tests in a row after drinking a special sugary drink. This test will show your rate of glucose uptake and allow early detection of diabetes.
What are anti-Rh antibodies?
Anti-Rh antibodies are produced in the mother's blood if she does not have the same Rh factor as her baby. The condition can attack the baby's red blood cells, causing anemia.
Since both diabetes in the mother and anemia in the baby can lead to polyhydramnios, your doctor will check for both if they have any concerns. Once the cause is established, therapy for polyhydramnios will be the next step.
