Amniotic fluid infection: Early recognition signs

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Hong Lien - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. Doctor Lien has over 10 years of experience as a radiologist in the Department of Ultrasound at the leading hospital in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in the South - Tu Du Hospital.

Amniotic fluid infection is one of the serious inflammatory diseases, often occurring in the early stages of pregnancy, if not detected and treated promptly, will seriously affect the fetus.

When a woman is pregnant, the fetus is surrounded by a transparent liquid called amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid helps firmly protect the fetus during the mother's pregnancy and has the function of regenerating energy, providing necessary nutrients for the fetus, and avoiding excessive pressure affecting the fetus. blood supply to the fetus through the umbilical cord.

After 12 days of conception, the amniotic fluid begins to form. During pregnancy, if the mother's amniotic fluid turns cloudy and contains pus, a foul odor, it is very likely that the mother has an amniotic infection in the uterus.
There are many causes of amniotic fluid infection during pregnancy. This phenomenon can originate before or during the mother's pregnancy.
If this phenomenon is present before pregnancy, it may be because the mother has unprotected sex, leading to infection, creating a favorable environment for E.Coli bacteria (especially group bacteria. B) enter the body.
So when you are pregnant, these bacteria are more likely to stick to the inside and last longer. If not treated properly, bacteria can invade and cause inflammation of the amniotic membrane, causing the amniotic membrane to rupture at any time of pregnancy.
Babies born in premature rupture of membranes, infection will be life-threatening. Amniotic fluid infection also affects the health of the mother.

To find out if she has an infection of the amniotic membrane, a mother should regularly observe her private area. When you see a strange watery discharge from the vagina, check it to see what color and smell it has.
If the water is cloudy green with a bad smell or mixed with pus, it is likely that the mother has an infection of the amniotic membrane, not the usual phenomenon, pregnant women should not be too subjective.
In case you are not sure if it is amniotic fluid or urine, you can use red litmus to check. By dipping purple litmus paper into the water stain, let it dry a bit, and then compare the color of the litmus paper with the color change table. If the litmus paper turns dark blue, it's amniotic fluid. If it is urine, it will not change the color of litmus paper.
In addition, when infected with amniotic fluid, the mother also has noticeable symptoms such as: High fever accompanied by painful and tender uterus; the mother and baby's heart rate beats faster than usual; When observing the vagina, the amniotic fluid is leaking and has a very unpleasant odor accompanied by pus, the vaginal discharge also has a very unpleasant smell...

The signs to recognize are relatively easy, but the diagnosis of amniotic infection is quite complicated. Because, in fact, there is no single test that can simply determine if a mother has an amniotic infection.

Most doctors will diagnose this phenomenon based on the mother's symptoms such as fever, increased heart rate of both mother and fetus. In more severe cases, amniotic fluid infection will cause the mother to have symptoms such as uterine pain, foul-smelling amniotic fluid, green color.
Testing to diagnose amniotic fluid infection in the mother is extremely important and necessary. Especially for mothers who are about to give birth. However, if the mother has an early labor phenomenon, an amniocentesis can be performed for testing. If the amniotic fluid has a low concentration of glucose, the concentration of white blood cells and the concentration of bacteria is high. A blood test showing signs of infection confirms that the mother had an infection in the amniotic fluid during pregnancy.
At the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International General Hospital has solved many difficult cases such as: amniotic fluid infection, polyhydramnios, placenta accreta, knotted umbilical cord, preterm pregnancy... More convenient, Vinmec has implemented PACKAGE Maternity Packages, including prenatal care, during childbirth and after birth. Pregnant women are monitored and carried out all necessary tests and ultrasounds to detect pregnancy abnormalities early. The birth will be "gentle" like going on vacation, at the hospital, there are fully equipped for mother and baby.
Vinmec International General Hospital gathers a team of highly qualified doctors at home and abroad as well as the quality of ultrasound machine system, modern equipped medical equipment, main prenatal examination procedures. Accurately, science will handle abnormalities during pregnancy and labor quickly, helping women have the safest pregnancy.