Polyhydramnios and mild kidney dilation

[Jazzyjeff92]

I had an ultrasound yesterday to confirm if I had excess fluid or not. The scan confirmed I have polyhydramnios and they saw my baby's kidneys are slightly dilated, so have referred me for a more detailed scan with a consultant. Has anyone experienced this before? I am 29 weeks and 4 days, my first pregnancy and it is a boy.

[Clearslug]

Hi, I have exactly the same thing - I'm 31 weeks tomorrow but was diagnosed with polyhydramnios at 29 weeks after having a small bleed and measuring 3 weeks ahead for dates. Baby is a boy and actually perfectly sized for dates (50th percentile) but my AFI is 31.5cm (well above the expected range of up to 20cm for amniotic fluid at this stage). The scan didn't show any issues with babies organs, although I have a history of kidney problems so that might be it. My bump is huge and is very uncomfortable.

I'm sure the doctors have explained all the implications to you - risk of baby not turning in to a position for birth, high chance of Caesarian, prem labour and perhaps even defects. However, all tests I've had so far (diabetes, viruses and bloods) have come back clear - they did say that 50% of cases are unexplained so I might just fall in to one of them.

What I would say is try not to panic too much - just take each day as it comes, your docs will monitor you really closely over the next few weeks to keep an eye on both you and baby and it's good they're doing extra checks on his kidneys. It could easily turn out to be nothing and your fluid can go down and sometimes does, but in the meantime please be reassured that you're nice and far on in your pregnancy now, your little boy would have a great chance if he were born soon and the doctors will keep a close eye on anything kidney related. Have you had all the extra checks to rule out anything else for the PH? X

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Clearslug]

Thank you so much for your reply. My baby is at a perfect size as well, my AFI was 37.5 when they measured last week. My bump isn't very big compared to other people so I'm confused as to how I can be carrying so much fluid 😞 the midwife did not explain the implications to me, they just told me not to worry and I'd be referred for another scan with a fetal medicine consultant. I've read the risks/implications online though. My scan is next week - I had screening for downs, Edwards and plateau's at 12 weeks and all came back low risk, my diabetes test was fine so I don't know what it is, other than his kidneys maybe being poorly. I'm terrified of downs/any type of problem like that though. Apparently the consultant will be able to rule out more at the next scan x

[Clearslug in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

I think if he had downs you'd have seen in the scan by now via the measurements - I don't think that will be it.

Reading about Polyhydramnios online is so tempting but the worst thing you can do, I did the same and terrified myself! It makes it seem a bit bleak but after going on forums etc I've read a lot about others experiences and the worst scenario (out of hundreds) that I've read was either premature birth (of which all the babies except one lady with twins who had them at 23 weeks and sadly they both died as they were just too small, all the others were absolutely fine after they came out of SCBU), or a couple were partially deaf. If this is the worst case scenario after everything I've read I can live with that. Obviously we want our babies to be as healthy as possible, but the chances of them being absolutely fine seem pretty good to me.

You'll be told plenty more at your next scan from your consultant, but as I said, 50% of cases are for no reason at all - which if your other tests have ruled out anything obvious I think you'll probably fall in to that category too! My mum said she had the same condition with my eldest brother, and other than being born breach, he was delivered at 40+5, perfectly normal, and healthy weight (and still is today at the grand old age of 44!), but the doctors said they'd never seen so much water when it broke! So it could just be one of those things 😊 I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, please let me know how your appt goes - I've got a midwife appt on Wed for 31 weeks but no other follow up scan to check my water levels booked for after that yet, so I'll do the same and keep you updated - and hopefully we can put each other's minds at ease for the next 10 weeks! X

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Clearslug]

I hope you're right, I know that I'm being irrational but I'm an anxious person anyway so this has made me worry so much! Is this your first baby too? When is your due date?

What you've said about your findings on forums has definitely made me feel better, I have found that forums seem to be giving a better outlook than websites based on research/studies, which all seem quite bleak 😞.

My scan is on the 12th July and I have my midwife check up this Thursday 😊 I will keep my fingers crossed for you, too! Let's definitely keep each other in the loop x

[Clearslug in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

Yes, first baby - due September 6th but I have a feeling that unless my water levels go down I might end up being induced/having an elective Caesarian as chances are that he won't engage as he's literally just floating around in there having a great time! Not sure if you feel the same but as he's got so much room I literally feel every movement as he just bounces from side to side!

You've got a long time til your scan which makes me think they can't be too concerned - mine was the day after they found out I had poly, booked in as an 'emergency scan' which didn't fill me with too much hope! But they must feel more confident with you if its not for 2 weeks... Take hope from that!

It's a scary time - you think you get to this point and it should be just excitement waiting for him to arrive, you assume you've got through the risky bits don't you? I'm a laid back person but I'll admit this diagnosis terrified me at first, but as I said, I think the usual end scenarios are much brighter than the online info make out! I'm sure we'll both be fine... Please do keep me updated! 😊 x

[Katie_r3]

I'm in the same boat, except his estimated weight is way over at 7lb 8. It's so uncomfortable and nerve-wracking. I am taking a bit of comfort in how blasé everyone seems about it.

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Katie_r3]

How far along are you? Has your baby got dilated kidneys too? X

[Katie_r3 in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

I am 34/3. They haven't mentioned the kidneys, but hopefully will at the next scan. No one seemed to have concerns about him at this stage, and said it may right itself. It's just a worry. X

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Katie_r3]

That's what they have said to me, too. I'm sure everything will be fine for both of us x

[KR2105]

I had polyhydramnios in week 29 too. It was around 9.5. I wasn't told the fluid levels are high but not too high. However I used to struggle to feel my baby's movements or kicks. So had to keep going for scans to make sure baby is alright. Also I wasn't allowed to go for water birth even after the fluid levels reduced

I was quite regular in walking until week 29 but completely stopped walking or any other physical activity. Basically avoided anything that might cause exertion and stress. Depending on your fluid levels you could try these too. I don't know if these tricks helped or something else but my fluid levels came down to 6.8 in week 31.

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to KR2105]

I'm quite lazy and don't exercise much! I've had to slow down on housework because I get quite breathless. I feel him move all the time thankfully and his kicks can be strong. Did your baby have anything come up on his scan like dilated kidneys? My fluid level was 11.6 x

[KR2105 in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

No, thankfully nothing unusual was detected during the scans. I was told a reading of up to 20 was also acceptable so you should be fine but do your best to keep the reading down. I mean less stress levels and physical exertion of any kind.

[Clearslug]

Hi Jazzie, any news your end? I had a scan last week at 32 weeks and my fluid levels had gone down very slightly to 29 from 31.5 3 weeks ago (still the 99th percentile but no longer classed as excessive, just very high.) They're meant to continue to rise until 35/36 weeks then start to go down in prep for labour so I'm quite happy mine have reduced. I've got another scan booked for 37 weeks (4 weeks time so they can't be too concerned...) which will probably be my last one before birth (sure he'll be early!).

Still all tests are clear and baby is active as usual and seems pretty happy in there so just going to go with it and hope he hangs on in cooking for a few more weeks until he's classed as term. I definitely don't feel as uncomfortable physically as I did 3 weeks ago so it's quite a relief. Did you get any results back in regards to the concerns around your baby's kidneys? Hope it's all going well. X

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Clearslug]

Hi love, thank you for updating me, that sounds great! Do you feel slightly better about it all? I had a scan last week at 31 weeks and my levels had reduced from 37.5 to 27.6 which I'm really happy with. His kidneys are still dilated - both reduced by .1 of a mm so no real change but specialist midwife said they're not concerned at this point. I have another scan booked for 36 weeks which I also imagine to be the last one before he arrives. I'm so relieved for us both that things haven't got worse xx

[Clearslug in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

Hi Jazzie! Update from me: yesterday morning - at 33w 2 days my waters broke like nothing before whilst I was in bed at 1.30am. Litres and litres of the stuff. I was rushed in to hospital, and I've just had my second steroid shot to develop baby's lungs in case he comes early and I'm on antibiotics for the next 10 days. No signs of labour, just some Braxton Hicks a couple of times a day which is the first time I've experienced them. My bump has gone down and I look very small - its reduced by about a third in size and lying down you can barely tell I'm pregnant.

The docs have said (and from the forum posts I've read online of others experiences) that at this age they do so well - no long term implications but maybe only a week or two on SCBU whilst they learn the sucking reflex ready to go home. I know it's not ideal, I'd have loved to have made it to 37 weeks but we are where we are.

I've been told that 80% of women go in to natural labour within 7 days of waters breaking but nothing as yet. I'm still in the hospital but as baby and me are both doing well I think they'll let us out today on bed rest at home (thank god, I've had 3 hours sleep in 28 hours as these wards are great but so noisy!) and have been advised to measure my temp and look/smell of the fluid regularly (I'm still constantly leaking so baby is making more but it's not staying in), with a check up twice a week. I think I'll go in to natural labour by 34-35 to be honest and as the risk of infection is so great I think that might outweigh the risks of baby being prem anyway.

Didn't want to scare you but I know we said we'd share experiences - docs did say that the pressure and stretching of my uterus due to the poly could lead to an early labour but I wasn't expecting it so soon or dramatically! Hopefully as your levels have gone down so much you'll be fine from here. Mine had only reduced 2cm in 3 weeks. Keep your fingers crossed I can keep him in cooking for at least another 4 days - if we can reach 34 weeks (or 35, even better!) I'll feel so much more happier about him coming early! X

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Clearslug]

Hi angel, i was in shock when I read this message, I cannot believe your waters broke! Did you have any indication/signs/feel any different before they broke? I'm 33 weeks tomorrow, but I have had braxton hicks at least a couple of times a day for maybe the last month. Is it quite common for waters to break quite this early when you have poly? I had another scan this Thursday which was for reduced fetal movement (all is fine, as soon as I got monitored the little monkey started moving normally again) and my fluid levels had increased from the previous scan. AFI back up from 27.6 to 35.2 😞 but nobody has told me to be wary of early breaking of waters or anything like that! I hope my waters don't break so early. You're right about medical care being so advanced these days that babies born this early are usually absolutely fine - so I wouldn't worry about that too much, you seem so relaxed and accepting which is fantastic to hear. A lady at work has a granddaughter who was born at 26 weeks and she is doing quite well now. Are you home now? I'm so glad you have updated me. X

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Clearslug]

Clearslug are you okay? X

[Jazzyjeff92]

Clearslug are you okay? Z

[Swati_Shrawane in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

Hi.. I am having same phenomenon.

Can you please update me., For any consequences raised due to polyhydramnion. Please reply

[Jazzyjeff92 in reply to Swati_Shrawane]

Hi! My baby is now 8 weeks old. His kidneys showed as mildly dilated so I had 2 extra growth scans. At 36 weeks his kidneys had returned to normal levels. He had 2 more scans once he'd been born and had to take antibiotics for the first 2 weeks of being born but he is perfectly healthy and no kidney problems 😊 my waters just went EVERYWHERE when they were broken lol. Have you got mild poly?

[Swati_Shrawane in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

I didn't check.as suggested my doctor My next scan is scheduled after 3 week. Need to wait...

[Swati_Shrawane in reply to Jazzyjeff92]

One of doctor told me navin more water is ok. No need to worry. After 6 months baby needs more water.

[Jazzyjeff92]

Fab, I'm glad to hear all is well. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy xxx

[Nyameba]

How is your baby doing. I've been diagnosed of polyhydramnios. Can you share ur experience with me since you have gone through before. Thanks

[clearslug1985 in reply to Nyameba]

Hi, of course!

He’s absolutely fine - now just over a year and he’s perfect. He arrived less than a week after my waters broke (6.5 weeks early) at 4lb 2oz, and whilst he’s on the small side (on the 5th percentile) he is catching up quickly now he’s on solids. For the first 7 months he was behind with his development (took him nearly 6 months to be able to lift his head and only started rolling about 9 Months) but he’s getting there and we saw the paediatrician yesterday who said he’s developing on track now (and even doing some things earlier than non-premature babies!) by the time he’s 2 you’d never have guessed he was prem (but if your baby is, a heads up that you really need to give them a lot more time in the first year to develop - they don’t just hit the milestones on their adjusted birthdate as health visitors seem to assume they will! There is nothing wrong, they just take a little longer and WILL get there!)

Also, it’s worth remembering that just because you have poly, it doesn’t mean your baby even will be premature, or that there is anything wrong with them. I’m sure you’ve been told but 50% of the time, polyhydramnios has no cause. I spent hours googling the condition and panicking when I was pregnant, and it’s natural, but just make sure you have all the tests (diabetes etc) and if everything is ruled out then try to relax and take it easy. What is your AFI? I had severe poly but anything from mild to moderate doesn't usually cause an early birth, it’s just uncomfortable with all that water! What have you been told so far Nyameba? X

Ps. My son absolutely loves baths and swimming now - must be due to the near 8 months he spent in far too much water in my womb!! X

[Nyameba in reply to clearslug1985]

I was first diagnosed of mild polyhyramnios in my 22weeks of AFI of 22.5cm but my midwife told me to go for another ultrasound in my 29weeks and they have written on my AFI as " largest pocket 10.72cm" Am yet to see my midwife on 2nd for her to explain it to me.

[Stroodle in reply to Nyameba]

Hi can you tell me how things went, I'm worried that I was diagnosed with Poly at 22 weeks, 20 week anatomy scan was normal, then deepest pocket of fluid at 23 weeks was 8cm, had a scan at 24 weeks and it increased to 11cm, and latest scan at 26 weeks is 12.5am.

I seem to be increasing at 1.5-2 cm a week, so have no idea how I'll managed to get anywhere near 40 weeks?

I've read lots of the ladies posts in the forums, but most develop this towards the end of pregnancy and I worry the outcome may be bad being my poly started so early in the pregnancy and is worsening so rapidly?

Thanks you x

[clearslug1985]

Pps. How’s your baby doing these days Jazzy?? X