Am J Perinatol 1996; 13(4): 231-234
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-994370
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1996 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Amniotic Fluid Index and Perinatal Morbidity

Donna Dizon-Townson, Kathleen A. Kennedy, Gary A. Dildy, Jun Wu, Marlene Egger, Steven L. Clark
  • Bess Kaiser Hospital, Portland, Oregon, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Provo, Utah, and University of Utah Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Salt Lake City, Utah
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
04 March 2008 (online)

ABSTRACT

Our purpose was: (1) to determine whether assessment of amniotic fluid index in high risk patients with a reactive nonstress test (NST) allowed improved recognition of the fetus at risk for perinatal morbidity than a reactive NST alone; and (2) to determine the optimal low amniotic fluid index (AFI) which should prompt clinical concern. The last NST performed within a week of delivery and amniotic fluid index were retrospectively compared with various indices of perinatal morbidity. In fetuses with a reactive NST, decreasing AFI was directly correlated with a risk of 5-minute Apgar score of less than 7 and delivery for fetal distress. When various subgroupings of AFI were compared, 7 cm or greater appeared to have a better inverse correlation with the indices of morbidity than lower cut-off values. The addition of AFI assessment to the standard NST allows better prediction of perinatal morbidity than the NSTs alone. Seven centimeters appears to be a reasonable cut-off for clinical concern.