[ozmidwifery] Reduced Amniotic Fluid volume

[Mary Murphy]

Saw this in "Midwifery Today": Simple maternal hydration can increase amniotic fluid volume, a study has shown. A search of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched to compare maternal hydration with no hydration in pregnant women with reduced or normal amniotic fluid volume. In two studies, 77 women were asked to drink two liters of water before having a repeat ultrasound examination. Maternal hydration in women with and without oligohydramnios was associated with an increase in amniotic volume (weighted mean difference for women with oligohydramnios 2.01, 95% confidence interval 1.43 to 2.56; and weighted mean difference for women with normal amniotic fluid volume 4.5, 95% confidence interval 2.92 to 6.08). Intravenous hypotonic hydration in women with oligohydramnios was associated with an increase in amniotic fluid volume (weighted mean difference 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.36 to 3.24). Isotonic intravenous hydration had no measurable effect. Controlled trials are needed to assess the clinical benefits and possible risks of maternal hydration for specific clinical purposes. - Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(1):CD000134