What Is Amniotic Fluid Syndrome?

Amnion band syndrome. after the English Amniotic Band Syndrome, occurs when certain parts of the fetal body are entangled in fiber or filaments that restrict growth. It usually affects the arms, legs, fingers or toes.

Amniotic fluid syndrome causes various injuries depending on which part of the body is involved.

In extreme cases, when the fiber compresses a more sensitive area, it can lead to the death of the fetus. For example, it can cause miscarriage if blood flow is restricted through the umbilical cord.

There is no way to predict amniotic fluid syndrome, as it happens completely randomly. There is no genetic predisposition or any other specific risk factor.

Its occurrence also has absolutely nothing to do with past or future pregnancies. In other words, if it happens during a pregnancy, there is no reason to believe that it will happen again.

However, if it did not occur during a previous pregnancy, it does not mean that it can not happen in a future pregnancy.

Development of amniotic fluid syndrome

Doctors say that the disease begins to develop during the first 28 days after conception.

However, it can present up to 18 weeks into the pregnancy. If the syndrome occurs during the first 45 days after conception, the consequences can be catastrophic.

The smaller the fetus, the greater the risk that the amniotic fluid syndrome can affect vital organs. In other words, the narrowing can create defects in the skull and in very important organs.

If the fetus is larger, the effects are likely to be less severe because the baby is more resilient.

Some studies have previously indicated that the onset of the syndrome was related to amniocentesis. However, researchers later discovered that it can occur even without this procedure.

It is very difficult to detect the presence of amniocentesis with ultrasound earlier than 21 weeks, but doctors claim that it is generally very difficult to detect this defect before the baby is born.

Diagnosis

In some cases, it is easy to detect the disorder through a simple ultrasound. But as I said, it can occur during different stages of pregnancy. This means that doctors often make the diagnosis during routine examinations.

It is important to remember that most children who develop amniotic fluid syndrome are born without complications.

In most pregnancies that show the defect, the baby has a normal birth close to his or her estimated date of birth.

The biggest problem with amniotic fluid syndrome is that it can be difficult to see it on an ultrasound.

Amniotic filaments are very thin, which means that they are difficult to see during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

After this point, a doctor may begin to suspect constrictions when further tests reveal the resulting damage.

As I said, an ultrasound is not always enough to detect amniotic fluid syndrome. If a specialist suspects it during a pregnancy, he or she may recommend a magnetic resonance imaging.

A Doppler test can also confirm the presence of constrictions. But the syndrome can easily pass undetected until the baby is born.

The consequences of amniotic fluid syndrome

The consequences vary greatly depending on which part of the child’s body is affected. The most common body parts that the syndrome affects are the arms, legs, hands, fingers and toes.

In these cases, the contraction of the tissues can cause a deformation in the affected area or even a total amputation.

Amnion band syndrome can cause cleft lip or palate when the filaments are over the baby’s face. In addition, it is the main cause of clubfoot.

The constriction can also cause other malformations.

Specialists confirm that all cases are unique, as the location of the contraction is completely random.

The severity of the injury can depend on factors such as the length of the pregnancy and the volume of amniotic fluid.

Some of the most common consequences of amniotic fluid syndrome are:

• Mild damage due to the appearance of superficial folds that do not hinder the function of the organs
• Deep folds that require surgery because they restrict circulation
• Lacing of extremities in different places. Narrowing of fingers usually leads to more serious injuries and prevents their development completely
• Congenital amputation, as a result of insufficient blood flow to the amputated limb. When the baby is born, he or she has already lost a body part during the fetal stage
• Fusion of affected body parts, especially as a result of defects such as syndactyly – when two or more fingers or toes are fused
• Dystrophy of fingers or toes
• Underdevelopment of a limb, resulting in a deviation in its length
• Contraction as a result of pressure on nerves
• Cerebral hernia
• Acrania, which is a lack of development of the skull bones

• Anencephaly, which occurs when the brain does not develop properly
• Congenital hip dislocation
• The formation of false joints, also known as pseudoarthrosis