Anhydramnios aka: No Amniotic Fluid

[obrien38]

Peepacabra: It is so encouraging and hopeful to hear your story. I have had a very difficult pregnancy and found out at 7 weeks 5 days that I had a very large subchorionic hemorrhage behind the placenta. I have bleed almost the entire pregnancy and have had 6 "big" bleeds where I gush blood for a few hours (sorry if TMI). However, at 16 weeks 5 days we found out that the baby has no amniotic fluid. We can't say for sure if the water ruptured, leaked, or the placenta is failing, but everything points to the placenta is failing. I had an ultrasound today and the baby still has a heartbeat but no amniotic fluid. My dr. gave me a very grim diagnosis as well.

 

[babydrms]

Peepacabra: It is so encouraging and hopeful to hear your story. I have had a very difficult pregnancy and found out at 7 weeks 5 days that I had a very large subchorionic hemorrhage behind the placenta. I have bleed almost the entire pregnancy and have had 6 "big" bleeds where I gush blood for a few hours (sorry if TMI). However, at 16 weeks 5 days we found out that the baby has no amniotic fluid. We can't say for sure if the water ruptured, leaked, or the placenta is failing, but everything points to the placenta is failing. I had an ultrasound today and the baby still has a heartbeat but no amniotic fluid. My dr. gave me a very grim diagnosis as well.

 

[peepacabra]

Peepacabra: It is so encouraging and hopeful to hear your story. I have had a very difficult pregnancy and found out at 7 weeks 5 days that I had a very large subchorionic hemorrhage behind the placenta. I have bleed almost the entire pregnancy and have had 6 "big" bleeds where I gush blood for a few hours (sorry if TMI). However, at 16 weeks 5 days we found out that the baby has no amniotic fluid. We can't say for sure if the water ruptured, leaked, or the placenta is failing, but everything points to the placenta is failing. I had an ultrasound today and the baby still has a heartbeat but no amniotic fluid. My dr. gave me a very grim diagnosis as well.

Oh, goodness! I'm so sorry to hear that you've gone through that! I've actually read a lot about people who have gone through similar situations, and you're a tough lady to have gone through it. However, there is always hope! If it's a rupture, I know that a lot of times the docs prescribe bed rest and extra extra extra hydration to keep fluid going through the placenta. Unfortunately in my case, drinking extra water didn't help because there is something wrong with my placenta other than infection or rupture.

They gave me a grim prognosis when I got diagnosed at 20 weeks too. They told me it would be nothing short of a "miracle" if I made it to 24 weeks. We're still not out of the woods yet, and my docs are not the best cheerleaders, but still I am proud to say that we are 32 weeks and counting right now. I hope you are able to overcome the odds as well. It can be so hard to have hope when you hear nothing but bad news, but I'm sure whatever decision you and your family make will be the best one.

Please feel free to contact me if you need to talk! I know it's hard to find stories relating to anhydramnios (no fluid) that don't relate to PPROM, so I hope ours will be a happy ending to give others in our position hope.

 

[peepacabra]

Just a quick post:

I have been feeling so down lately, because I have been getting nothing but negative prognosis from the docs. I even started crying at work yesterday when one of my clients asked how Scarlett was doing in the middle of her makeover! (Which is totally unlike me. I try to be super professional and keep my problems off the clock). Anyway, today I was nervous to go to my scheduled OB appt because my preferred OB was on call, so I had to meet a new doc.

Well, fortunately for me, he was wonderful.

As soon as he walked in the room, I laid down the law and told him that I didn't need to hear any negative stuff, because it didn't do me, nor Scarlett a lick of good. He smiled and said he figured I was an intelligent woman and that I understood what we were up against, but that they would do everything they could to give Scarlett a fighting chance.

He then measured my belly (I measured at 33 weeks when I'm only 32!) and checked her heart rate. He said he was really pleased with how well she moved and that her heart rate escalated whenever she moved. He reviewed her u/s results from the other day, and even said that they looked much, much better, and that if it weren't for the fluid and her slightly smaller size, he would have thought she was a fairly normal baby! I was so happy to hear just the smallest piece of happy news that I immediately grabbed a tissue box and teared up. He told me he hoped to see me soon, but not too soon, because he wants me to go at least 34 weeks with her. He thinks her odds will be much better if we go that far.

I feel so much better.

I don't want false hope, but I do want a tiny bit of optimism. The gloom and doom gets stale, and only adds a huge black cloud in my life, which is totally not me.

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you guys that I had a good appt, and that I am feeling much better, and positive. Thanks for all the support, and I hope everyone else is doing well too!

 

[AllMacsNow]

Obrien, I am so sorry to hear that you're going through this. I am hoping that your story takes a happy turn like it seems Peepacabra's has.

And Peepacabra, I am so happy to hear that you had such a great appt with an understanding doc. Not too long to your 34 weeks he wants you to get to!

 

[Garnet]

Hey it is okay and thank goodness for a kind and understanding Doctor and that is what you need now. I can relate because I lost my son last year on the 16th of December. The first Doctor I saw when I was 8 weeks said oh you know that your baby is probably going to make it to the next trimester as along as you are aware of that. And sure enough Taylor diedI felt all that negativitity made it come true. I'm so glad for you and Scarlet! You just prove them wrong.

 

[peepacabra]

Hey it is okay and thank goodness for a kind and understanding Doctor and that is what you need now. I can relate because I lost my son last year on the 16th of December. The first Doctor I saw when I was 8 weeks said oh you know that your baby is probably going to make it to the next trimester as along as you are aware of that. And sure enough Taylor diedI felt all that negativitity made it come true. I'm so glad for you and Scarlet! You just prove them wrong.

 

[obrien38]

I agree...the diagnosis of no amnitoic fluid that is not due to a leak or rupture is hard to find. I have struggled to find any support or success stories. I had a second opinion today at the University of Michigan and the prognosis is still grim. Do you have no amniotic fluid? Or little amniotic fluid? It is such a difficult diagnosis because right now our baby appears to be perfectly healhty. The baby has kidneys, a bladder, strong heart, etc. All the makers they look for in a healthy pregnancy. The only thing we don't have is fluid. We did see fluid in the babies stomach and bladder (which gave me hope), but the Dr. didn't seem to get much hope from that. We also meausred 1.1cm of fluid in a far corner of the sac. My Dr's keep saying, the baby can live in utero without fluid and we could very well go to term however it doesn't matter if the baby is born at 30 weeks or 40 weeks it won't have the proper lung development to survive. We lost fluid at 16 weeks 5 days and they say that lung development occurs from 16-22 weeks and amniotic fluid is critical in this development. When did you loose fluid? Is there anything they can do now that you are futher along to test or see if the lungs are working or developing? Did you have any sign amniotic fluid or the planceta was going to become a problem in your pregnancy? We had lots of fluid exactly 2 weeks ago, and within 1 week, no fluid. I just don't understand. Do you have any restrictions? Sorry for all the questions. So fortunate to have found you and will add you and your little girl to my prayers. We do not know our gender yet as they can't see since the baby can't move

 

[obrien38]

Forgot to say congrats on the appt that went well today!!

 

[Garnet]

Obrien you might want to read #6 post about steriods for lungs. Since you are online. Good luck with your baby too.

 

[peepacabra]

I agree...the diagnosis of no amnitoic fluid that is not due to a leak or rupture is hard to find. I have struggled to find any support or success stories. I had a second opinion today at the University of Michigan and the prognosis is still grim. Do you have no amniotic fluid? Or little amniotic fluid? It is such a difficult diagnosis because right now our baby appears to be perfectly healhty. The baby has kidneys, a bladder, strong heart, etc. All the makers they look for in a healthy pregnancy. The only thing we don't have is fluid. We did see fluid in the babies stomach and bladder (which gave me hope), but the Dr. didn't seem to get much hope from that. We also meausred 1.1cm of fluid in a far corner of the sac. My Dr's keep saying, the baby can live in utero without fluid and we could very well go to term however it doesn't matter if the baby is born at 30 weeks or 40 weeks it won't have the proper lung development to survive. We lost fluid at 16 weeks 5 days and they say that lung development occurs from 16-22 weeks and amniotic fluid is critical in this development. When did you loose fluid? Is there anything they can do now that you are futher along to test or see if the lungs are working or developing? Did you have any sign amniotic fluid or the planceta was going to become a problem in your pregnancy? We had lots of fluid exactly 2 weeks ago, and within 1 week, no fluid. I just don't understand. Do you have any restrictions? Sorry for all the questions. So fortunate to have found you and will add you and your little girl to my prayers. We do not know our gender yet as they can't see since the baby can't move

Hi Obrien38! I absolutely do not mind answering your questions! Your situation sounds VERY similar to mine. Though I technically have tiny patches of fluid throughout the placenta, it's not enough to measure. Basically, they described it as being "damp" in there. I assume there must be enough fluid for her to swallow from time to time, but my nurses said that they often do not count the fluid by the cord, which is where I suspect she is getting any fluid from.

I am not certain when we "lost" fluid, but I do know that I had an ultrasound at 16 weeks at my specialists office (which is where I go regardless because of my diabetes), and they gave her a clean bill of health. Then when I went for an ultrasound at 20 weeks, that's when they saw nothing in there. We have kidneys, a bladder that is small, but has fluid going through it, a stomach...basically all the organs are in great working order, with the exception of the heart which is enlarged, but they think that would probably clear itself up as long as she makes it past the first few weeks of life outside the womb.

Unfortunately, the lungs are one of those areas that they can't measure function until after the baby is born, due to the fact that they're don't show up well on ultrasounds. The whole thing has been so strange since with my first pregnancy, Shelby had TOO much fluid (polyhydramnios), and was nearly an 11 lb turkey! My doc has never seen someone go from one extreme to the other before. Of course I would have that luck.

I have basically been told the same thing as you in as many words. I'm not sure why my docs never mentioned the idea of ending the pregnancy, or a definite bad outlook so early in. I didn't really grasp the reality how bad our odds are until a month or so ago. The only reason I can possibly think of for why my situation might be a tad more optimistic than what they have given you is that they didn't see a lack of fluid until 20 weeks, but that's still very early.

The only thing I can recommend is to keep getting opinions. It's their job to give bad prognosis. While they're right, it doesn't matter if baby is in there 20 30 or 40 weeks with no fluid, the outcome is still potentially the same, I do believe that since we have obviously a tiny enough amount for our babies to swallow, then potentially they have enough to inhale from time to time!

I have also noticed that you went up to University of Michigan. Did you see that I live in Toledo, OH? I wonder if we live close to each other. UM is pretty close to me, just about a 45 minute drive. I have a wonderful group of docs at our local hospital taking care of me, and they have one of the best NICUs in the country here at St. Vincents. I have never run into anyone else that has had exactly the same situation as myself, but my specialist has people in our situation quite a bit. I think he said right now he is treating 5 other women that are in similar situations as you and I. He said sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't, and sometimes the baby comes out way better than they thought. It's all a case by case basis. Maybe that's why he hasn't given up on us.

Oh, and lastly, thank you for the well wishes. I hope the exact same for you. We're only about 80% sure we're having another girl, since the lack of fluid makes it hard for them to get a good view of her lady regions. Also, she moves quite a bit, but her legs are always crossed! I really, truly hope you can find someone that can give you some hope, or at least ease your mind. Sometimes these horrible things happen, and it takes strong people to go through this, but I promise to keep telling my story until it's done, so that other people who end up in our position have some idea of what they might go through.

Please let me know if you have ANY other questions, and as Garnet mentioned above, please read about steroid injections! Those have been what they're relying on to give her lungs a much needed boost, and it's also helped her gain weight.

I'll be thinking of you, friend!

 

[babydrms]

Peep - I am glad you are going to share your journey until the end, so brave. I have to admit, I originally read your post because of professional interest, as I am a high-risk OB nurse and I hope to be able to reference your case to other families who experience your diagnosis. It is rare, and I have seen it very rarely over the years and have never been able to follow someones journey. There is very little inofr about this out there, especially hopeful info.

 

[peepacabra]

Oh, thank you so much, babydrms. I think that putting my feelings and appointments into writing makes me feel so much better, and if it helps even a single person who is going through something similar to me, or Obrien38, then I'll be happy. I truly hope my story gets to have a happy ending, and that one day I can look back on this and remember how much we overcame to bring Scarlett home healthy. I am glad that you might be able to tell our struggle to a patient of your own, because hearing first hand accounts from my own high risk nurses has helped me tremendously.

 

[babydrms]

We all want nothing short of a fairy tale for you!

 

[peepacabra]

Whew, thought we were getting admitted for sure today! Went in for a routine NST at my Maternal Fetal Medicine office, and Scarlett chose the worst time to sleep, that's for sure. lol. They freaked out a bit because she wasn't moving and her heart rate didn't fluctuate that much, so they immediately sent me over for an ultrasound. During the ultrasound, she didn't move except to practice breathing (Yay! Hope that's a good sign for those lungs!). So, my poor U/S tech had to keep wiggling my belly to wake her up. Luckily, her dopplers were good, and it was just a matter of her being a sleepy bum that was causing all the trouble. I was sooo relieved. My goal of 34 weeks remains intact.

Also, not to sound like a selfish mom, but I have to finish Christmas shopping tonight for my two year old and husband. I really just won't have time to be admitted until after Christmas. I want to be home to watch them open their presents, darn it! lol.

My next appointment is the day after Christmas. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again for reading and commenting. You guys are wonderful.

 

[Garnet]

Whew! She's a gonna be a tricky baby huh, She'll be playing tricks on you! Well onto Wednesday. Take a easy! Glad you saw her breathing!

 

[obrien38]

Thank you so much for all the information and sharing your story. Glad to hear your appt ended well today and the baby appears to be practicing breathing. If it is okay with you, I will continue to lean on you for support and guidance. We are 35 miles north of Ann Arbor. Best of luck on your journey, and I pray your daughter is a miracle!

 

[Miwi]

I've been following your story for a little while now and I just have to say, wow! You are truly inspiring! I pray that Scarlett is the miracle baby we all want her to be.

 

[No Doubt]

Praying for you hun. You baby will be truly be a miracle, and a little fighter when she is older! Glad to hear that everything is going well considering the circumstances.

Praying for all the other little miracles as well!

 

[missy1]

Peepacabra, just wanted to send you and baby Scarlett lots of luck and love. I can only imagine the stress you must be under and I hope your little baby is going to be ok. I'm not hugely religious but we are taking my 2 year old daughter to a christmas carols service on Christmas Eve and we will say a little prayer for baby Scarlett, sending hugs xxxxxx