Symptoms of turbid amniotic fluid in pregnant women

In the late pregnancy, the amniotic fluid becomes turbid, which means that the fetus is about to be born. However, if it becomes turbid at other times, you should pay attention to it, as it is very detrimental to the health of the fetus. You can use B-ultrasound to find out the current condition of the amniotic fluid. If the amniotic fluid is contaminated with meconium or bile, this often leads to fetal hypoxia, which is an important cause of fetal distress.

What is turbid amniotic fluid? Turbid amniotic fluid refers to the thick and dense light spots that can be seen under B-ultrasound examination. This situation is usually caused by the mixing of vernix caseosa, meconium or bile in the amniotic fluid. Among them, 12%-22% is due to meconium contamination. Clinical studies have shown that meconium contamination is related to fetal hypoxia and is therefore used as one of the diagnostic criteria for fetal distress.

The degree of meconium contamination is divided into the following three types: Degree I means that the amniotic fluid is light green or light yellow and thin. It means that the fetus is suffering from chronic hypoxia and is in the compensatory period. Grade II means that the amniotic fluid is dark green, turbid, thick and contains fecal lumps. It indicates that the fetus is in a period of acute hypoxia. Grade III means that the amniotic fluid is dark brown, viscous and mushy. The fetal skin, umbilical cord, fetal membranes, and placenta may all turn yellow. It means that the fetus is in the subacute stage of hypoxia and has been lacking oxygen for at least 6 hours.

The reason for turbid amniotic fluid is that the source of amniotic fluid varies at different stages of fetal development. In the early stages of pregnancy, the amniotic fluid mainly comes from the plasma component of the embryo and is colorless. As the fetus' organs begin to develop and mature, the composition of the amniotic fluid gradually increases to include the fetus' urine, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, umbilical cord, placental surface, etc., and it will appear slightly turbid. Under B-ultrasound examination, thick and dense light spots can be seen.

Common causes of turbid amniotic fluid are as follows: 1. Vernix caseosa mixed in the amniotic fluid. If the turbid amniotic fluid is caused by this situation, it generally does not cause harm to the fetus, so there is no need to worry too much. 2. Meconium is mixed with amniotic fluid. If this happens, the fetus may suffer from hypoxia in the uterus and needs oxygen. Specific treatment measures should be carried out after diagnosis by a professional doctor. 3. Bile stasis is mixed in the amniotic fluid. The main substances in the amniotic fluid are fetal fluid and brittle hair. Simple turbidity generally does not have any impact. If it is turbid, it indicates that the fetus is abnormal and needs to be delivered immediately. Because the amniotic fluid is the living environment of the fetus, turbidity should not be underestimated and you should go to the hospital as soon as possible to find out the cause.