OLIGOHYDRAMNIOS - MATERNAL COMPLICATIONS AND FETAL-OUTCOME IN 145 CASES

One hundred and forty-five cases of oligohydramnios in the second and third trimester were diagnosed by ultrasonography out of 25,000 obstet rics patients (0.58%). In this group, pregnancy complications included hypertension (22.1%) and bleeding in the second trimester (4.1%). We found a high incidence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid (29.1%), fet al distress (7.9%) and premature placental separation (4.2%). IUGR occ urred in 24.5% of cases. Asphyxia during labor occurred in 11.5% and d ifferent other perinatal problems in 23.5%. Cesarean section was perfo rmed in 35.2% of these pregnancies. Seventeen percent of the cases pre sented as breech. Intrauterine fetal death occurred in 5.5% of these p regnancies. The gross perinatal mortality was 16% and the corrected pe rinatal mortality was 10.7%. The overall rate of fetal malformations w as 11% and that of lethal malformations 4.8%. The skeletal (7.6%) and urinary system (4.1%) were the predominant systems affected. Oligohydr amnios is associated with a higher rate of pregnancy complications and increased fetal morbidity and mortality, and thus termination should be considered when pulmonary maturity is present or in cases of fetal distress.