High amniotic fluid index

Hello everyone,

I’m 33 weeks along now, and a few weeks ago I was told that my amniotic fluid index (AFI) is at the very top of the normal range (normal is 5-25, and I have been hovering around 23-24). Apparently it was 21 for a couple of months and no one mentioned it, but when it went up to 24, they started using phrases like “generous fluid” and my doctor said it was an indication for starting me on twice weekly non stress tests at 31 weeks. (They have so far been fine).

I’ve read that excess amniotic fluid is a risk factor for things like preterm labor and cord prolapse, but I am not overly concerned since mine is still within normal limits (barely).

Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue and whether it ended up causing you any problems.

Thanks!

I didn’t have this, but a friend of mine with type 1 diabetes experienced this during her pregnancy. They monitored her more closely (with ultrasound and non-stresss tests) and sometimes determined that the amount was normal and sometimes too high. She carried until 38 weeks with no problem when they did a scheduled c-section.

I started my twice a week non-stress tests in week 33. Although they can be a pain, it is reassuring that they are keeping an eye on the little one!

Thanks, Kristin. Do you know if your friend had a c-section because of the AFI, or was it a combination of factors? It sounds like at this point my doctor is going to base the c-section decision solely on the baby’s estimated weight (her cutoff is 4500g), but that could always change.



You’re right, the NSTs are reassuring. And the mini-ultrasounds (the biophysical profiles) are always fun. :slight_smile: Oh, and to clarify, they were going to do the NSTs anyway–they just started me earlier than they were planning to, and it pushed me into the twice-weekly category.

The c-section was related to many factors, but I think primarily the babies size and NOT the amniotic fluid.

Our son was 4230g, but I had a c-section (due to his size). I wish that we could have tried the induction because I hear from many non-diabetic women who had babies the same size.

In our ultrasound, they don’t estimate the weight, but just the diameter of the head and the abdomen. I think that my OB-GYN decided definitely on the c-section once his head diameter exceeded 10cm and his abdomen was even bigger.

That makes sense–my doctor said that the cutoff for non-diabetics’ babies is 5000g–the difference is due to the fact that diabetic moms’ babies tend to deposit fat in the trunk and shoulders. No one wants to run the risk of shoulder dystocia.