Reduced fluid at 36 weeks, waters haven't broken

[caitlinn]

Went for a growth scan today, baby is measuring great, however fluid is now below the 5th centile. My waters aren't leaking and I've never had a gush, been to hospital to be tested for leaking waters this afternoon...I've got to go back in a week for another ultrasound, has anyone had this happen to them? What was the outcome?

Sorry I’ve never been in your situation so I don’t have any advice. But I just wondered, was it a routine growth scan? Had your bump been measuring ‘normal’ at your midwife appointments? If they have said to go back in a week, it doesn’t sound like anything too serious or to be worried about. Hopefully someone with experience will be along soon

My first pregnancy ended up being delivered at 27 weeks because of iugr and preeclampsia, so they've given me scans every 4 weeks from 20 weeks, baby has always measured absolutely spot on if not a bit ahead so this is very unexpected. I'm being closely monitored for my blood pressure as I've been diagnosed with pregnancy induced hypertension, not full blown preeclampsia. Just a tad confused as to where my waters will have actually gone 🤔

That all sounds very stressful. I don’t have any experience or advice to offer, sorry!

Have you had any vaginal discharge which might have actually been a slow leak?

Not really that I could say for definite, I've got group b strep too, so if there was evidence they were leaking I'd have been induced immediately...it's all a bit of an odd experience to be honest

Well hopefully it will all be ok any signs of infection (fever etc) or reduced movement, get checked straight away!

Thank you very much x

I was having regular growth scans after a previous premature baby. Then she was diagnosed with IUGR at 30 weeks, I had to go backwards and forwards for monitoring and scans, her growth was so bad that they only aimed to get to 34 before delivery anyway, at my 31 week scan her fluid levels had dropped so low that they said I needed a c section within 24 hours. They mentioned something to do with the placenta not working as it should although I'm not sure that would be the cause in every case.
This is all sounds very scary but this was an extreme case. Just keep a very close eye on movements and go to the next scan appointment and see if anything has changed. If they were very worried they would have delivered baby there and then.
Best of luck with the birth when it happens.

Waters are a renewable resource, I think. From what I can make out, the baby swallows a lot of them every day. The impression I get is that this then gets absorbed into the baby’s bloodstream, and some of it is processed by the baby’s kidneys and excreted by the baby straight back into the waters, while the rest of it is passed into the mother’s bloodstream for her to deal with.

I’m not clear where the new waters come from, but clearly they come from somewhere! Perhaps they come through the placenta, which is why reduced waters can be a sign that the placenta is failing?

But yeah. It’s not a closed system, and the amount you have can be made to vary in some circumstances without a leak happening.

I had this with baby 3, they said baby wasn't weeing and I panicked, Google's and worked myself up. I was on observations every day I had to go in to the maternity ward for an hour and sit on a the heart rate machine all whilst waiting for the specialist in London to confirm an appointment for further scans. Two weeks of hell and worry. Got to London and the lady said baby was fine...plenty of water and a good size! Phew! Baby was born a few weeks later 6lb 10 and is now 5 and healthy. I know it's hard to not panic but they do get things wrong sometimes xx

So anxious for Monday, I just want to know that my baby is alright, I'll be 37 weeks by then...I'm just hoping that the sonographer has gotten it wrong or something 😫

It’s understandable that you’re anxious. Try to relax and take your mind off it for now. Easier said than done, I know!

I had wanted to have a home birth for my second baby but at around 35 weeks I was told my waters had reduced so it wasn't possible. I too hadn't had any leakage so didn't understand where it had gone. I had to go in every week to be scanned and I was so worried about the baby. At 39 weeks I was told all was ok. They'd never told me that the waters could increase again! I stuck with a hospital birth but it was very straightforward and my Dd was fine.

Did you end up getting induced due to waters being reduced? I feel fine in myself touch wood just anxious incase something goes wrong at this stage!

Got my scan tomorrow afternoon, very anxious, ended up in pregnancy assessment on Friday due to reduced movements... hoping more than anything that everything is alright.

Good luck for tomorrow 🤞 I'm sure all will be well but if they are concerned 37 weeks is a good gestation for baby to be delivered soon if required without further complications ☘

I had reduced fluid in my last pregnancy. They were scanning me every other day. Then I had reduced movement and a terrifying weekend of wait and see. Ended up with a section. The placenta showed signs of deterioration so it was a good job they did it.

Good luck, op.