effect of oral and intravenous maternal liquid treatment in the third trimester of pregnancy on the balance of amniotic fluid volume

Oligohydramnios is a deficiency in the amount of amniotic fluid, lower than expected for the pregnancy age concerned. In severe cases this may lead to fetal morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of oral and intravenous hypotonic liquid on the amniotic fluid index in pregnant women. This clinical trial study was done in 60 pregnant women in their 35th to 38th weeks of pregnancy with amniotic fluid indices of 5 to 10 cm. The amniotic sacs in all these women were intact and sonograms showed no abnomalies in their fetuses. They were divided into 3 groups: The first group did not receive any treatment and was designated as the control group. The second group was treated by oral hydration (2lit/2h) and the third group was treated by intravenous (Ringer) Isotonic liquid (2lit/2h). A sonography was administered and the amniotic fluid index was calculated prior to and 1 hour after treatment. In the control group, the difference of the mean of amniotic fluid index prior to and after treatment was 0.39±1.74 cm (P-Value=0.33). In the second group the difference of index before and after treatment was -1.32±1.82 cm (P-Value=0/004). In the third group the difference of the mean of the amniotic fluid index before treatment and after treatment was -1.85±1.85cm (P-Value=0.001). The differences in the amniotic fluid index was significant (p=0.001). The results of our study showed that the administration of oral and intravenous maternal hydration is a suitable procedure for the short-term increase of the amniotic fluid index. This increase was higher in treated group.