Amniotic fluid high!

FrozenMommy

So I went in for a follow up with the perinatologist today, they couldn't see babys heart well enough last time or something. Today, again having trouble getting to see what they want, and now report that I have too much amniotic fluid. They say I am at 22 weeks 1 day, my conception date from what I remember says that I am 23 weeks 2 days. They said baby weighs about 1lb 4 oz, and that he's measuring 22 weeks. From the internet searches I have done, that's more like 24! They say hes right on track...I am confused. I asked are you sure he's not measuring small for 23 weeks? Nope, impossible I was told. I am so frustrated right now. Have to get a fetal ekg now, and follow up again in a week to see if the fluid corrects itself. He is blaming it on high sugars, but my sugars have barely been high. I get a high once a week or so because of eating too close to taking my shot. But I wouldn't think that's enough highs to mess with my fluid! I also asked if my being sick could have something to do with it. I have had many things wrong in a row. Yeast infection, sinus infection, and they seemed to up my sugars a bit. Of course there is nothing I can do but wait, but that doesnt stop the worrying. I have also been feeling baby move a ton lately, but at times it hurts. I really hope there isn't something seriously wrong here. Anyone else have experience with high fluid? I read it's like 1% of pregnancies. 

sarahsairsair

I have had serial growth scans, one in the middle I had high amniotic fluid, two weeks later was fine and has been fine since (I'm at 37+ weeks now)

I know it's hard not too stress- just keep busy, try not too panic and hopefully it will rectify itself

Oh, and I wasn't getting high numbers either at that time

FrozenMommy

I have been reading a ton since I got home. Many things can make it rise. The baby can have anemia, something that could be a sure thing. I was actually just diagnosed 2 weeks ago, and put on iron. Now I wonder, since it's been 2 weeks since last U/S and that's the only thing that has changed, could that be the cause? I called the office to see what the actual level was, and to my shock, it's 29cm. That's like almost double what the 50th %tile is. So now I'm freaking out even more!

@sarahsairsair, did they try and blame it on your sugars? Or is there really no way to tell, just hope it gets better? 

rklinge0

Fluid levels can be caused by a number of things. Mine were up and down my final 8 weeks.They blamed it on gd ( they said i had gd at 37 weeks)but looking back it was from a chromosome issue with the baby ( she ended up with trisomy 21).
The reason why they get concerned is because of an increase risk of still birth, it goes up to 3 out of 1000 instead of 2 out of 1000. Which still isnt high. So try not to worry as long as you are feeling movement regularly.
Ultrasound measurement are notoriously wrong depending on who is doing them too.

FrozenMommy

No kidding. this is the same office that wanted to do an amnio on my first baby, and she turned out to be 7 lbs, perfectly healthy. I just dont get how my fluid could go from totally normal 2 weeks ago, to double now. I feel that perhaps something was off in their reading. This from a doctor who also said two weeks ago baby was 13oz, so a lb and a half....Um, doc, that ain't right!

tpete12

Being sick can definitely up your sugars. My doctor told me that higher sugars will cause the baby to pee more, just like it makes us pee more, upping the level of amniotic fluid.

FrozenMommy

@tpete12, my sugars haven't been all that high though. I mean, how high and how many times a day would it take for the fluid to almost double? That's whats freaking me out. Will a high or 2 do this?

tpete12

I think it would all depend on how high, high is. If they are 8 or 9 I would think it would take awhile. If they are 20.0 or 25.0 I don't think it would take nearly as long. Have you had an A1C lately?

FrozenMommy

@tpete12 I did an a1c last week, will find out results tomorrow at OB check. What do you mean by 8 or 9, 20 or 25? I read mine by the mmol. So like I had a high last night of 160, and a low of 60. But I get a high like that maybe once a week, and they usually go down by hour 2. 

unless somehow I am spiking every night in my sleep? I have made the decision that dinner from now on will be no carb, and before bed no carb, so no insulin after lunch until bedtime. 

Lbloom

Hi there, I recognize you from the O15 BMB. I had a mild increase in fluid levels much later in my last pregnancy. We never found out why, much of the time they don't know why it rises, but my doctor was mainly worried about cord prolapse if my water broke at home (which it didn't) since I was so close to the end.

This pregnancy has been a hailstorm of issues, including being diagnosed with polyhydramnios (excess fluid levels) several weeks ago. At my 20 week anatomy scan my AFI level was on the high side of normal (18cm), but I had another ultrasound two weeks later and my AFI had jumped to 28cm. So that, coupled with a few soft markers that they found for Downs, means I am a little stressed and anxious. I had my blood drawn for the Harmony test over a week ago and I am on pins and needles waiting for the results. I have no doubt about my excess fluid, because I am huge for my baby's gestational age (25 weeks) and I am uncomfortable. My dr said my fundal height is measuring at about where someone who was a month ahead of me should be. I definitely feel like I should be well into the 3rd trimester, not barely entering it. I passed my gestational diabetes test. I'm not sure what I'm going to do if the levels continue to rise. My dr is going to continue to monitor me closely and he said they can always drain some if it gets severe, but I hope it doesn't come to that. I have another ultrasound on Friday. I just hope I don't go into preterm labor because of this because that is a risk. October seems like an eternity away but I am thankful for every movement this LO makes.

FrozenMommy

Thanks for posting @lbloom! If you don't mind, can you keep me posted about your progress? I know what you mean about feeling it. I was feeling small one day, and the next day I felt terribly huge. Good thing is that I feel him move all the time! Like, I wonder if he ever sleeps in there. Last night he was going nuts, kicking something, to the point where it hurts me! So I think that he's ok in there. We had total negative markers, so I can cross that off the list of worries. The thing that's getting me now is the heart. It could be a problem with his heart causing the high fluid. Sitting here waiting for the echo doc's office to call me. They are taking their sweet time. I go back in Tuesday to see if the fluids have dropped, but tomorrow at my OB, I am going to see if I can't get in with Tate diagnostics for a second opinion. The thing I hate about my perinatal office, is their equipment is SO old, and so is the doc. He's a terrible slob with papers all over his office. I don't know that I fully trust the man. He looks at the paper for about 20 mins before spitting out words, and couldn't do basic math with the weight of the baby!!! I just don't know about him!

Lbloom

Yeah sure, I'll keep you updated. Also, I would probably be getting a second opinion if I was having doubts about my dr. The soft markers they found are sandal-toe gap, a "possible" short nasal bone (they found the nasal bone but baby was being uncooperative and MFM said it might be a different part of the nose and could be shorter) and a bright spot on the heart which could be calcification on the heart muscle (not a defect, those bright spots usually correct themselves). Those things by themselves aren't a concern, but since there is a list of them (high fluid included) that's why the suggested additional testing.

rklinge0

@lbloom mine was because of a chromosome issue although whenever they did the tape measurer I never measured ahead. It was just seen in two of my 7 ultrasounds in the 3rd trimester and borderline in 2 of them.
And yes keep me posted about the results.

FrozenMommy

A1C is 5.5 as of last week. Up from 5.3 last month. Still, that doesn't mean I have had high sugars, and I hate for him to be so quick to blame it on that. There are many reasons it could be high. 

I read that the baby having anemia can be a cause. Considering my iron is way low right now, this is possible isn't it?

JLB24

I had a fetal echocardiogram yesterday and although the heart looked fine, my amniotic levels were "mildly high." I go back in 4 weeks for a follow up. I am also huge. This is my third baby and I thought maybe it was bc it was my 3rd, but now I'm wondering if it is due to the fluids. Also, my sequential screen came back positive for DS (high HCG). I had the cell free DNA which thankfully came back negative, but I still can't help but stress over all of this. All of my ultrasounds have been great...but I'm still a nervous wreck.

Lbloom

@rklinge0 I will post an update when I get the results. I've searched this board for older threads mentioning DS, soft markers, and high fluid and I've seen several of your posts. It has been reassuring to follow your progress.

FrozenMommy

I have my follow up today to check my fluid. My numbers have been perfect! So if he tries to blame it on high numbers today, I am going to lose it!!! I STILL have bronchitis. Been on meds to the sinus infection part, but my cough got better and then worse again. Coughing so much my poor baby boy is getting shaken up in there. My stomach huuuuurts! There are two doc there, I am going to request the other one today if the first one refuses to think it's anything else. Wish me luck!

FrozenMommy

Ug this doc! So he said my fluid is still kind of high, didn't measure it though. And so he's waiting until I see the fetal echo specialist to see what they say. For some reason the perinatology office just can't see his heart properly. So he said I'm sure his heart is fine, since your genetic testing was totally negative. So then he says well, 50% of the time, the high fluid is simply unexplained....Well hey doc, thanks for making me worry, when there really may not be something to worry about. Totally frustrating!

FrozenMommy

So, just had my 3rd check up since them telling me my fluid was high. Got to see the other doc at the practice, he is so much easier to talk to. He said babies heart looks fine, he's measuring about 2 weeks ahead, 78th %tile. Then he says, your fluid is normal!!! I said OH YAY, it went down then. Wait no excuse me, it's not "normal" but it's slightly higher than average, but not as bad as it was. OK, I will take it!

Lbloom

That's good! Glad to hear everything is okay. My fluid is still high and slowly creeping up with each visit. My next ultrasound is in a big tertiary hospital with a nicu in case they want to do an amnio on me. Nervous for the amnio, but I'm not sure how much bigger I can get.

FrozenMommy

@lbloom, keep us posted. A question for you, have they said anything to you about high fluid causing you to be heavier weight wise? 

Lbloom

They haven't said anything about my weight. To be honest I don't think I've gained much. All my weight and fluid is in my uterus, I don't have much swelling anywhere else.

gigglesb

Hi!  I'm happy to read your levels are evening out.  I had an ultrasound this week and was told I have extra fluid, 8.1 (from one pocket), they don't test the entire fluid here, just a small pocket.  Still not understanding what that means overall?

Fluid is high and baby is measuring in the 95th percentile.  My GD was moved up and came back normal.  Antibodies and blood work came back normal (I'm Rh-).  My doc was concerned enough after reviewing my scan to transfer me from her care to high risk.  I'm trying not to worry, but would love to know if anyone else has had extra fluid, big baby and no GD?

Lbloom

@Missyk1124 - I have high fluid, my baby is measuring in the 97th percentile and so far I do not have GD. Although the high risk doctor I saw last week wants to have me tested for it again just to make sure I haven't developed it later in pregnancy. I will be 30 weeks on Thursday. I'm guessing that I'll pass it again and that I'll just be another one of those cases where they can't explain the reasons for the high fluid. (50-60% of the time they have no idea what causes it). Everything has checked fine for the baby and myself so far. I had high fluid towards the end of my last pregnancy, too. They couldn't explain it then either. My daughter is just fine. She also measured two weeks ahead for most of the latter half of my pregnancy with her. My DH and I are tall and she's been above the 90% for height since she was born. We just make big babies.