Assessment of Amniotic Fluid Volume in Second and Third Trimester by Ultrasound in Pregnant Women

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the amniotic fluid volume in pregnant women in second and third trimester, so as to decrease the risk that lead to fetal morbidity and mortality and to optimize safe mother hood through using ultrasound. The study aimed to identify normal values of amniotic fluid index in pregnant women in second and third trimester, to a detect causes of polyhydramnios and oligohydramnios and to correlate gestation age with normal amniotic fluid volume The study was conducted on 90 pregnant women their second and third trimester over a period from August 2015 to December 2015, in Kosti Teaching Hospital, depended on the international study protocol in obstetrical scanning. All pregnant women were subjected to be examined by U/S scanning using Toshiba and General Electric scanner with 3.5MHz convex probe. Trans abdominal scanning were performed for all pregnant women and measure the amniotic fluid volume by using, the four –quadrants amniotic fluid index (AFI) and the deepest pocket (large pocket) methods. The problem of study is that the difficult measurement of oligohydramnios by ultrasound. The study found that most of the pregnant women have normal amniotic fluid (88.9%) and few others pregnant women have an abnormal amniotic fluid (11.1%). The study showed the normal range of amniotic fluid index in pregnant women from 24-40 weeks, it showed that the mean of normal amniotic fluid index reach its peak at 26 week gestation and gradually declined at 40 week gestation . The study recommended that assessment of amniotic fluid volume by ultrasound is an essential parameter of the antenatal care. For better interpretation of amniotic fluid index normal reference values in varies weeks of pregnancy in pregnant women in Sudan is recommended.The study also recommended facilitating ultrasound machine in every hospital and medical health centers.