Preliminary Experience of Amnioinfusion

Abstract

Oligohydramnios is considered as one of the major obstetrical dilemmas for the multiple serious complications associated with the condition. The condition hampers an appropriate ultrasonographic evaluation of the fetal anatomy and frequently causes variable fetal heart rate decelerations by compressing the fetal cord, often to incur irreversible damage to the fetus. Based on precedent reports regarding the effect of amnioinfusion in managing oligohydramnios-complicated pregnancies, we report here our experience of amnioinfusion in 8 cases complicated by oligohydramnios which we have experienced from November of 1990 to May of 1993 at Seoul National University Hospital(SNUH). The procedure was applied largely for three purposes, viz., diagnostic(3cases), therapeutic (4cases), and prophylactic(lcase) with favorable results. We concluded that amnioinfusion can be of important use in the detection of fetal anomalies, relief of abnormal fetal heart rate pattern, and prevention of intrapartum fetal complications.