title: Decreased amniotic fluid index in low-risk pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by isolated decreased amniotic fluid volume (AFI) after 30 weeks' gestation (AFI < or = 5 or > 5 cm but < 2.5th percentile).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied 150 low-risk singleton pregnancies > 30 weeks' gestation with decreased AFI. We also compared the outcomes of 57 pregnancies with AFI < or = 5 cm to those of 93 pregnancies with AFI > 5 cm but < 2.5th percentile (borderline AFI). Pregnancy outcome was assessed with respect to antepartum, intrapartum and neonatal measures. Statistical significance (P < .05) between groups was determined by means of the Student t test and chi 2 analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between pregnancies with AFI < or = 5 cm and those with AFI > 5 cm but < 2.5th percentile with respect to labor induction for an abnormal nonstress test (7.0% vs. 7.5%, overall 7.3%), cesarean sections for fetal heart rate abnormalities (7.0% vs. 7.5%, overall 7.3%), presence of meconium (16.1% vs. 15.7%, overall 16%) and Apgar score < 7 at five minutes (0 vs. 1.1%, overall 0.66%). There were no perinatal deaths in either group. Antepartum variable decelerations were more common in pregnancies with AFI < or = 5 cm as compared to those with AFI > 5 cm but < 2.5th percentile (63.1% vs. 45.1%, P = .007; overall 53.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With antepartum monitoring, perinatal outcome in low-risk pregnancies with an isolated decreased AFI after 30 weeks' gestation (< or = 5 or > 5 cm but < 2.5th percentile) appears to be good.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kreiser
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: el-Sayed
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sorem
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Chitkara
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Holbrook
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Druzin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors