What is up with low fluid?

[njbeachgirl]

I keep hearing more and more mama friends telling me about low fluid, like one was induced for it, and someone had it on a Baby Story and I just hear about it more these days then I ever did before.

Are late ultrasounds just making it seem more common, or is it really becoming more common? Does anyone know what causes it?

[sweeetpea]

Low fluid is one of those scary-sounding medically plausible reasons for an induction. after all, who can perform their own ultrasound and measure their own fluid? Gotta trust the experts...

True Low AFI is fairly rare. It is also subjective. It is difficult to measure the pockets of fluid, and different providers have different protocols. One provider may say go home and drink lots of fluid and we will measure again tomorrow, while another may call for the ambulance to take mama to the hospital for an immediate induction. there is one practice around here that says they will not do inductions for "overdue" babies until 42 weeks. However every mama has a BPP at 41 weeks, and what do you know? Each and every mama has "low Amniotic Fluid Index" and must be induced right away. Ummm hmmm.