Prophylactic transcervical amnioinfusion in laboring women with oligohydramnios

Objectives: Evaluation of prophylactic intrapartum amnioinfusion in women with oligohydramnios. Methods: Assiut University Hospital during the period from February 2000 to September 2001, 160 laboring women with oligohydramnios [amniotic fluid index (AFI) less than or equal to5 cm] were randomized into: amnioinfusion and control groups. Inclusion criteria were: term singleton gestation, vertex presentation, cervical dilatation <4 cm, and assuring fetal heart rate (FHR). Trans-cervical amnioinfusion was done with warmed normal saline. Results: there was a significant increase in AFI after amnioinfusion (P<0.001). The amnioinfusion group showed lower cesarean section rate for fetal distress (P=0.003), lower incidence of abnormal FHR (P=0.006), fewer neonates with Apgar score <7 at 1 min (P<0.001), and 5 min (P=0.009), meconium below vocal cords (P<0.001), umbilical arterial pH<7.1 (P= 0.003), and significantly shorter hospital stay (P=0.02). Conclusion: Prophylactic trans-cervical amnioinfusion is a simple, safe and effective procedure. (C) 2003 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.