Polyhydramnios is diagnosed using an ultrasound, which measures the amount of fluid in the amniotic sac. Uterine contractions, indigestion, constipation, swelling in the leg, hip, ankle and/or foot and breathlessness (symptoms that are common during any healthy pregnancy)īecause polyhydramnios tends to cause few symptoms, it’s usually detected during a prenatal exam, when your fundal height - the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus - is larger than expected.Abdominal discomfort and trouble breathing, since the uterus presses on your lungs and other organs.Difficulty feeling fetal movements, due to the extra amniotic fluid cushioning your uterus.If you do, signs of too much amniotic fluid may include: It’s common to not experience any symptoms of polyhydramnios at all.
Low red blood cell count in the baby (anemia).Blood incompatibilities between mom and baby (like Rh and Kell diseases).Uncontrolled maternal diabetes (high blood glucose levels can cause the baby to pee more often).Birth defects that affect swallowing (which helps regulate amniotic fluid levels).In the other half, polyhydramnios may be caused by: In about half of cases, polyhydramnios has no known cause. Consistently high levels of amniotic fluid can put your pregnancy at risk for premature rupture of the membranes, premature labor, placental abruption, breech presentation or umbilical cord prolapse. In the rare cases when fluid accumulation is severe, it could signal a problem with the baby, such as a central nervous system, gastrointestinal defect or inability to swallow. This slight bit of extra amniotic fluid usually goes away on its own without any treatment. Most cases of polyhydramnios are mild, due to a temporary shift in amniotic fluid production. This extra amniotic fluid tends to slowly build up during the second half of pregnancy. Polyhydramnios (also known as hydramnios) is a pregnancy condition where there’s too much amniotic fluid surrounding a baby in the uterus.