What is the leakage of amniotic fluid?

The amniotic fluid is an important part of the female body during pregnancy. Note that the volume of amniotic fluid may be different, both the excess of them and the shortage can become serious problems. By the thirty-eighth week, the volume of water reaches about one and a half liters, and then decreases slightly.

Near-water waters perform several very important functions in the body of a pregnant woman. The main function of amniotic fluid - so in another way called amniotic fluid - is the creation of a nutrient medium, which throughout the whole life supports the vital activity of the fetus. There are a lot of bioactive substances, carbohydrates, fats and proteins in it.

The amniotic fluid is formed from the very beginning of pregnancy. Until the very birth of the uterus does not allow water to flow, as nature conceived the "hermetic" stay of the baby in the womb of the mother. Leakage of amniotic fluid before giving birth or long before them is a pathological process. They should ideally go only when the bladder bursts and labor begins. In other cases this should be a serious cause for concern.

The leakage of amniotic fluid is most often noticed immediately. However, this phenomenon can be confused with both vaginal discharge and incontinence. In order to clearly know whether to resort to medical care, you need to check whether there is a direct leakage. The test for the leakage of amniotic fluid is as follows: it is necessary to urinate before the test to completely empty the bladder, to wash in the genital area and lie down on the bed, having previously placed a dry diaper. If a wet spot forms on the fabric for fifteen minutes, you should immediately call the ambulance.

Leakage of amniotic fluid is a serious reason for medical advice. If this occurs earlier than the preliminary date of delivery, then it means that for the further stay of the child in the womb, there is a danger that he is deprived of his protection. If the leakage of amniotic fluid occurred on time, it indicates that the baby is ready to be born. In both cases, do not neglect the help of specialists.

If the water appeared in the early period and there are not many of them, the doctors take the material for investigation. Water can show the maturity of some organs, such as the kidneys and lungs, which is extremely important for determining further tactics of pregnancy management. In addition, the child becomes unprotected from the outside world, and this threatens infection and intrauterine fetal death.

In the event that analyzes of the amniotic fluid give good results, doctors usually accelerate labor. In such a situation, stimulation is simply necessary, otherwise the child may die.

If the leakage of amniotic fluid can be stopped even for a few weeks, doctors use every chance to prolong the child's stay in the womb. Antibacterial, hormonal and other drugs are prescribed that do not allow infection to enter and accelerate the maturation of the child's systems.

In this case, leakage of amniotic fluid does not always allow doctors to make such positive decisions. If water has foreign impurities, then it is better not to continue such a pregnancy, but to "look after" the child in the intensive care unit. Usually such conclusion can be made either immediately visually or after laboratory tests.

In any case, when leaking amniotic fluid, you should immediately call a doctor and do not wait until some time. If they only show up a little, it does not mean that at night the waters will not pour at all. While the child can be born "on dry". In this case, a caesarean section is indicated. In order to avoid such drastic measures, it is necessary to be careful and cautious.