Overview
Your pregnancy care provider will measure your abdomen (a measurement called fundal height) to determine if your uterus is too large. Typically, that means you’re measuring two or more weeks ahead of your expected due date.
They’ll use an ultrasound to measure how much amniotic fluid is in your uterus. There are two ways to do this: amniotic fluid index (AFI) and maximum vertical pocket (MPV). AFI checks how deep the fluid is in four areas of your uterus. Your provider adds these numbers up. MPV measures only the deepest area of your uterus to check for fluid volume. If one of these tests shows you have polyhydramnios, your provider will likely order additional tests to check for congenital disorders, diabetes or other conditions. Some of these tests may include:
- Fetal echocardiogram (a stronger ultrasound that can see the fetus’s circulatory system).
- Nonstress test (to check for abnormalities in the fetal heart rate).
- Biophysical profile (checks the fetus’s tone, movement and breathing motions).
- Amniocentesis (a test that diagnoses certain congenital disorders).
- Glucose challenge test (a test that checks for gestational diabetes).
Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Prevention
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
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