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Does the Summer Season Affect the Amniotic Fluid Volume during Pregnancy?
Ah-Young Choi1, Jun-Yi Lee2, In-Sook Sohn1
1Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05030, Korea.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|September 28, 2021
Summary
Pregnant women experiencing summer heat may face increased risks of borderline oligohydramnios, a condition linked to higher rates of small-for-gestational-age infants and NICU admissions.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Fetal Medicine
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Amniotic fluid volume is vital for fetal development.
- Dehydration during pregnancy is associated with oligohydramnios.
- Seasonal variations may impact amniotic fluid index (AFI).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between season and amniotic fluid index (AFI).
- To evaluate neonatal outcomes in relation to seasonal AFI variations.
- To assess the incidence of borderline oligohydramnios during summer.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 19,724 cases from 6438 singleton pregnancies (July 2005-July 2019).
- Amniotic fluid index (AFI) values classified by trimester and season.
- Comparison of borderline oligohydramnios (AFI 5-8) and normal AFI (AFI 8-24) between seasons.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant difference in mean AFI was observed in the 3rd trimester between summer and non-summer seasons, though not clinically significant.
- The summer season was associated with an increased incidence of borderline oligohydramnios in the 3rd trimester.
- Borderline oligohydramnios correlated with higher rates of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants and NICU admissions.
Conclusions:
- Seasonal variations, particularly summer, may increase the risk of borderline oligohydramnios.
- Increased borderline oligohydramnios incidence during summer is linked to adverse neonatal outcomes.
- Physicians and pregnant women should be aware of potential seasonal impacts on amniotic fluid.
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