Amniotic fluid is critical for an unborn baby's life and health. The amount of “water” around the baby naturally increases as the pregnancy progresses but then begins to naturally level out towards the end during the last few weeks. What some people DON'T realize (even doctors!) is that it is normal for fluid levels to fluctuate day to day and even hour to hour and they are significantly influenced by maternal diet and hydration.
Our bodies are superb at regulating fluid and designed to ensure our babies have what they need. God designed the whole process intentionally and beautifully. The vast majority of women will never have to think twice about it!
Sometimes, however, there is concern over the amount of fluid within the womb being too low and outside the range of normal. The medical term for this is oligohydramnios. The great news about this is that in an otherwise healthy pregnancy, it is rare for it to actually be a pathological issue. The other great news is that because fluid levels fluctuate day to day and hour to hour it can often be easily and quickly addressed.
Before we go further in addressing how to raise fluid levels, it's critical to note that routine third trimester ultrasounds are not based on any evidence and have not been shown to lead to better outcomes. If anything, they often increase the rate of intervention, fear, anxiety, and risk without a corresponding overall benefit to mothers and babies. When it comes to determining fluid levels via ultrasound, the methods of doing it are imprecise and often debated. It is not "set" science and it is actually impossible to know exactly how much fluid a baby has. It is all a best guess. The "measurement" involves finding various pockets of fluid via sonography equipment that can't directly access and measure the fluid, then making estimates and averaging the numbers or finding and measuring what appears to be the deepest fluid pocket. So it's wise for both practitioner and mother to only ever use these measurements as possible information to consider and not as inerrant dogma that cannot be questioned. It's also wise if you are deciding to have a third trimester ultrasound done to make sure you are doing so for a specific concern and to go into the appointment well hydrated.
If a mother decides that this is something of concern, then she can decide what to do from there.
How to Naturally Raise Fluid Levels:
1. Increase Hydration!
Sounds too simple, right? But really, it just makes sense. Our body needs fluid to increase and maintain our amniotic fluid! Numerous studies show that simple maternal hydration can quickly and effectively increase amniotic fluid levels. But this is one of those cases where we shouldn't need clinical research to prove what just makes sense! Hydrating a mother to promote healthy fluid levels isn't exactly rocket science. If a woman is dehydrated, that will be reflected in the amount of amniotic fluid she has. So the first recommendation and step for any mother with concern about fluid levels should be is to significantly hydrate. Plain water, coconut water, or electrolyte drinks are all great choices. Addressing hydration significantly in most instances will be enough to naturally raise her fluid to normal and healthy levels within 12-24 hours. This means if she receives concern about low fluid that she should go home and make it her job to drink lots of water, coconut water, and electrolytes, attempting at least one quart of fluid an hour.
A few studies that show the relationship and efficacy of simple maternal hydration can be found here, here, and here.
"Simple maternal hydration appears to increase amniotic fluid volume and may be beneficial in the management of oligohydramnios and prevention of oligohydramnios during labour" Hofmeyer et al. 2002
"Our data show that in pregnancies complicated by isolated oligohydramnios, hydration therapy significantly improves the quantity of amniotic fluid." Patrelli, et al. 2012
2. Increase Natural Salt
Salt is also critical for the body in maintaining and regulating fluid and blood volume and this is especially true during pregnancy. Pregnant women can be generous with their intake of natural salt to ensure they are getting adequate amounts not just for healthy amniotic fluid levels but also to prevent preeclampsia, hypertension, and other complications. Natural salt is critical for health and wellbeing of both mother and baby. It's important to note that natural forms of salt do NOT mean synthetic sodiums, the kind that are abundant in processed, cheap, or fast food. Those aren’t the same. It's not just salty tasting food that makes a difference but adding real high quality natural salt to the diet. Quality forms of salt include Himalayan salt, Celtic sea salt, Redmond's sea salt, and pure mined salt.
3. IV Fluids
If simple hydration and salt intake don’t seem to be enough and the amniotic fluid is truly of concern, IV fluids can be considered as a next step and are shown in the same research to be quite effective at quickly elevating amniotic fluid levels. While more invasive than simple hydration and diet, receiving several bags of IV fluids if truly needed is a good next step to addressing true fluid level concerns and certainly far less invasive and risky than an induction.
4. Consider Salvia Miltiorrhiza
This Chinese herb also goes by the name red sage, redroot sage, Chinese sage, or danshen. This is not a common treatment but this study showed compelling evidence that this herb significantly helped increase fluid levels and concluded it to be an effective treatment for oligohydramnios. The study used IV infusions which might be hard to come by in our American medical system, however, there are tinctures, supplements, and other forms available that could be investigated and considered.
It should be noted that if a provider does NOT first recommend these simple, cost-effective, and proven steps to increase amniotic fluid levels that should be a big red flag regarding their care. We know these things often work effectively without the enormous physical, emotional, and mental risks of induction and should be the first line method of treatment. Before serious intervention like induction is even suggested or considered for suspected low fluid, it makes absolute sense and is safer for both mother and baby to first try significant hydration, salt, and if necessary, IV fluid. If the only solution a doctor or midwife offers a woman is to take her baby out early, that's a gigantic sign to run and seek other care. That provider is not well informed and likely putting you and your baby at unnecessary risk.
What a gift that God has designed our bodies so well and given them the ability to provide the perfect environment for our babies to grow and thrive. Our amniotic fluid is no exception to that! It works so well and is so beautifully designed and competent that most women never even need to think about navigating this issue. But it's also a gift that if there is a concern, we can almost always easily and naturally address it and make decisions toward the healthiest and best possible pregnancy and birth for ourselves and our babies.