MATERNAL HYDRATION FOR INCREASING AMNIOTIC FLUID VOLUME IN OLIGOHYDRAMNIOS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acute maternal hydration on amniotic fluid volume in pregnancies with third tri¬mester olighydramnios. The study was done at Al-Basrah General and Al-Basrah Maternity and Child Hospitals. A prospective case control study in which amniotic fluid volume was evaluated in 100 pregnant women be¬tween (32-40) weeks of gestational age with oligohyramnios (Case) and normal amniotic fluid index (AFI) and normal AFI (Control). Fifty women of oligohydramnios and fifty of control were made to drink 2 litres of water over 2 hours before repeating AFI measurement. The pre & post-hydration AFI were compared between the two groups. The AFI in olighydramnios & control groups were increased significantly by mean of 1.91 ± 0.61, P< 0.001 and 2.57 ± 1.37, p< 0.001 respectively . The data were analyzed with paired t-test for statistical significance . In conclusion, maternal oral hydration could be of therapeutic value in women with oligohydramnios.