Perinatal outcomes of pregnancies with borderline amniotic fluid index.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine whether a borderline amniotic fluid index observed during antepartum testing confers a significant risk of adverse perinatal outcome.

METHODS: Between April 2001 and May 2005, uncomplicated gestations with a singleton non-anomalous fetus, who underwent weekly monitoring of amniotic fluid index (AFI) until delivery during the last trimester and who gave birth at our hospital, were identified for our study. Normal amniotic fluid volume and borderline amniotic fluid were defined as AFI of >10 and <24 cm and >5 and <10 cm, respectively. The groups were compared on maternal data, mode of delivery and perinatal outcomes such as fetal distress, intrauterine growth restriction and meconium fluid.

RESULTS: A total of 90 cases were identified as borderline amniotic fluid and 277 cases as normal AFI. We observed significant increased incidences of admission to neonatal intensive care unit, intrauterine growth restriction, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, intrapartum fetal distress in the group with borderline amniotic index (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: A borderline amniotic fluid index observed in antepartum testing during the last trimester carries an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. These patients should be followed up carefully during the antepartum and intrapartum period.