Clinical Trial Details
— Status: Completed
Administrative data
| NCT number |
NCT05407571 |
| Other study ID # |
Hanaa Ibrahim |
| Secondary ID |
|
| Status |
Completed |
| Phase |
N/A
|
| First received |
|
| Last updated |
|
| Start date |
August 1, 2022 |
| Est. completion date |
August 30, 2023 |
Study information
| Verified date |
September 2023 |
| Source |
Egymedicalpedia |
| Contact |
n/a |
| Is FDA regulated |
No |
| Health authority |
|
| Study type |
Interventional
|
Clinical Trial Summary
Amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds a developing fetus in the amniotic sac and is
usually clear to pale yellow in color. Amniotic fluid composition is complex with many
maternal and fetal constituents. It is mainly formed from fetal plasma volume, fetal urine,
fetal respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, umbilical cord, and fetal surface of the
placenta. The composition of the Amniotic fluid changes with the gestational age with an
average pH of 7.2 and specific gravity of 1.0069-1.008
Description:
The sonographic appearance of amniotic fluid has been described as both anechoic and
echogenic. The clinical significance of echogenic amniotic fluid remains undetermined.
Increased echogenicity of the amniotic fluid may represent meconium. The presence of
echogenic amniotic fluid at term on sonography is uncommon. The presence of meconium, blood
or vernix caseosa in amniotic fluid may cause echogenicity.
The existence of meconium in amniotic fluid raises concerns about fetal well-being, the
ability of the fetus to tolerate labor, or, most importantly, the risk of fetal/ neonatal
demise . For these reasons, obstetricians tend to increase the frequency of prenatal visits
to assess fetal well-being with non-stress tests or biophysical profiles (when there is no
other indication for them), and even to induce labor when amniotic fluid is echogenic. On the
other hand, elective induction of labor at term carries risks such as increased rate of
cesarean section, uterine rupture or unexpected neonatal prematurity.
The presence of echogenic and dense particles in amniotic fluid on the ultrasound scan
mimicking the view of a snow-storm in the third-trimester pregnant women is a cause of
concern in antenatal management. that high-density intra-amniotic particles were possibly
related to vernix caseosa, intra-amniotic bleeding, and meconium.
Although the most commonly reported cause of particulate or echogenic amniotic fluid was
vernix caseosa, the reason for concern for the obstetricians in the case of intra-amniotic
particles is its potential relationship with meconium as well as fetal compromise
. Free-floating dense particles in the amniotic fluid were also related to lung maturity and
it was hypothesized that the source of these particles could be different in each trimester.
The concerns for the presence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid in the case of an amniotic
sludge may lead the obstetricians to elective induction in term pregnancies before the labor
starts spontaneously which also increases the potential complications and caesarean rate
