Frequency, causes and fetal outcome of polyhydramnios

Abstract EN

Polyhydramnios is an important obstetric complication, though an uncommon problem, but very distressing for patients.

Objective: This study was carried out to determine its frequency, causes and fetal outcome.

Study design: A prospective study was conducted in the obstetric department of Al- Mawany General Hospital, Basra.

From October 2011- October 2012.

Patients and Methods: Total 83 diagnosed cases of polyhydramnios in 3rd trimester were included in this study.

History, clinical examination and relevant investigation were carried out.

Ultrasound used to calculate the amniotic fluid volume was by measuring amniotic fluid index (AFI) and to detect the types of fetal anomalies .

Result: During the study period, 11600 patients needed admission in obstetric and labor word, out of them (83) (0.7%) patients had polyhydramnios.

Period of gestation ranged from 28 -40 weeks.

The age range was 20 – to more than 40 years.

Among these (15) (18%) were primigravida, (62) (74.6%) multigravida and (6) (7.2%) were grandmultigravida.

Causative factors were mainly idiopathic after which the most important was fetal anomaly.

(42) (50.6%) patients with no cause could be identified.

In (28) (33.7%) patients, there were different congenital anomalies in the fetus.

Diabetes is also associated with the finding of polyhydramnios in (8) (9.6%) cases, multiple pregnancy was complicated with polyhydramnios in (5) (6%) cases.

In (6) (7.2%) patients, fetuses were hydropic.

The impact of polyhydramnios on neonatal outcome is that most of the babies were born without any significant effect.

A live birth were (58) (69.9%) and (19) (22.9%) were still birth.

Early neonatal deaths were (6) (7.2%).

Conclusion: Idiopathic polyhydramnios was the common type and it’s more common in multigravida.

Early detection of congenital anomalies by using ultrasound in early pregnancy and the improvement of prenatal and antenatal screening can help to minimize the morbidity of the patients.