Overview
A Bedside Framework
An ultrasound fluid number is a sign, not the whole diagnosis.
An ultrasound fluid number is a sign, not the whole diagnosis. Low fluid can mean the fetus is making less urine, the membranes are leaking, or placental blood flow is inadequate; high fluid can reflect excess fetal urine or impaired fetal swallowing. The practical nurse links the measurement to gestational age, membrane status, fetal growth and movement, fetal heart rate, and maternal breathing. In Canada, assessment and escalation remain within provincial scope, employer policy, and the plan of the obstetric or midwifery team. The immediate danger is what the imbalance does next: low fluid can remove the cushion around the cord or impair lung development, while high fluid can overdistend the uterus and allow cord prolapse when the membranes rupture.