Amniotic fluid

As Amniotic fluid is the term used for clear, watery body fluid that fills the amniotic cavity - the amniotic sac - and is formed by it. Both the amniotic sac and the amniotic fluid belong to the tissue of the embryo, not the tissue of the mother.

What is amniotic fluid?

In the Amniotic fluid, the Amniotic fluid, the unborn swims. It contains important substances such as protein, potassium, sodium, trace elements as well as skin cells and hairs of the unborn child. The amniotic fluid is formed by the inner membranes. The unborn child drinks this amniotic fluid in sips from the 14th week of pregnancy - up to three liters per day.

The used amniotic fluid is continuously renewed. During the last weeks of pregnancy, the amniotic fluid is exchanged every three hours. This works through the urinary tract as soon as the child's kidneys are working. The amount of fluid in the amniotic fluid is absorbed through the child's intestine and then passes through the placenta into the mother's bloodstream.

The average amount of amniotic fluid is up to two liters - any deviation may indicate a malformation in the unborn child or a disease in the mother-to-be. Normal amniotic fluid has a clear to milky-yellowish color; if it is transmitted, it turns green or cloudy due to stool excretions. In the event of transmission and danger to mother and child, it is often necessary to initiate labor.

nature

In the first few weeks of pregnancy, the amniotic sac (amnion) and the chorionic cavity form, which merge from the third month of pregnancy and protect the child in the amniotic sac until birth. The chorion, part of the placenta, is connected to the chorion by the umbilical cord, through which the exchange with the mother takes place. The amniotic sac very thin, but extremely hard-wearing.

The amniotic fluid is secreted by a single-layer epithelium of the amniotic sac on the fruit side. The amniotic fluid and the amniotic sac are part of the child's tissue, not that of the mother, but are formed from parts of both. The amniotic fluid contains water, proteins, urea, lactate, glucose, as well as potassium, sodium and fetal epithelial cells. The amniotic sac is formed with the amniotic fluid on the inner wall of the amnion. Hence the increasing amount of amniotic fluid compared to the growing embryo.

Function & tasks

The amniotic fluid protects the mother, who is protected from the child's movements like a shock absorber by the amniotic fluid in which the unborn child floats weightlessly. At the same time, the amniotic fluid gives the child enough space to move around and develop unhindered.

Up to three liters of fluid, which is important for the healthy development of the unborn child, run through the amniotic fluid daily, so that the embryo receives all the important nutrients. The amniotic fluid protects the umbilical cord and prevents the vital blood circulation via the umbilical cord from being interrupted.

Another very important task of the amniotic fluid is not only to protect the mother from the sometimes violent movements of the child, but also to protect the child from external violence such as a blow or shock. In addition, the amniotic fluid provides good protection against temperature fluctuations and thus supports a stable development basis for the unborn child.

The amniotic fluid already formed in the fourth week of pregnancy, in which the embryo is in a protected position, prevents the embryo from adhering to the amniotic sac. In addition, if the amniotic sac is intact, it helps the cervical canal to widen and support like a wedge during the opening phase of childbirth.

The fetus learns to drink this amniotic fluid from the twelfth week, which trains the lungs and digestive system of the unborn child. Another important protective function of the amniotic fluid is the barrier against invading germs in order to protect the unborn child from infections and its noise-reducing effect. With the exchange of the amniotic fluid, pollutants are removed at the same time.

Illnesses & ailments

The amniotic fluid is of immense importance for the development of the child and a normally progressing pregnancy. The amount of amniotic fluid present is an important feature of every preventive examination, which is measured sonographically with an amniotic fluid index.

An average of 30 milliliters of amniotic fluid is common in the 10th week of pregnancy, around 350 milliliters in the 20th week of pregnancy, around 1,000 milliliters in the 30th to 34th week and around 800 milliliters of amniotic fluid up to the birth.

An increase in the amniotic fluid is called polyhydramnios, a reduction to less than 200 - 500 milliliters is called an oligoamnion. If there is too little amniotic fluid, malformations can develop on the skull and face of the unborn child or displaced hips.

Underdevelopment of the lungs and malformations of the feet such as club feet could also have negative effects. An amniocentesis, known as amniocentesis, which is only carried out in an emergency or on suspicion, can confirm suspicious factors in the event of an increased risk of pregnancy, hereditary diseases and chromosally related abnormalities.

A sample of the amniotic fluid is taken from the maternal abdominal wall and the sample of the amniotic fluid is then analyzed. Any increase or decrease in the amount of amniotic fluid outside of the sonographic soft marker must be clarified for the safety of mother and child. If amniotic fluid enters the mother's circulation, an amniotic fluid embolism can occur.

In the case of an initial infection with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, there is a 50 percent probability that the pathogen will pass through the placenta, umbilical cord and thus onto the child's organism, which can result in considerable damage.