We explore what low amniotic fluid really means at different stages of pregnancy and when to act, when to watch, and how to personalise decisions. We share why routine induction for isolated low fluid may not improve outcomes and how to navigate monitoring, growth checks, and timing of birth.

• defining oligohydramnios and anhydramnios
• how gestation changes risk
• ruling out ruptured membranes with history and tests
• expert scans, infections, and maternal factors
• why fluid matters for lung development
• isolated low fluid late in pregnancy
• induction evidence and unplanned caesarean risk
• growth surveillance and timing around due date
• continuous heartbeat monitoring considerations
• practical reassurance and shared decision-making

Want to know more:

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tog.70021

Subscribe, rate, and review on your podcast app. Recommend The ObsPod to anyone who might find it interesting. Find the programme notes for links. Contact us on Twitter and Instagram @theObspod or email theObspod@gmail.com. If you can, support the show via Buy Me A Coffee.

Thank you all for listening, My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes here https://padlet.com/WhoseShoes/TheObsPod I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Twitter @FWmaternity & @TheObsPod as well as Instagram @TheObsPod and e...

We unpack polyhydramnios with clear guidance on measurement, risk, and choices, showing why most mild cases near term are benign while outlining when to call in fetal medicine. Practical steps help parents and midwives stay calm, plan safely, and avoid unnecessary interventions.

• definitions of polyhydramnios by single deepest pool and AFI
• pros and cons of SDP versus AFI measurement
• thresholds for mild, moderate, severe excess fluid
• idiopathic cases late in pregnancy and prevalence
• screening for gestational diabetes and infection
• key risks: unstable lie, cord prolapse, postpartum haemorrhage
• induction debates, continuous monitoring, and individualised plans
• when to refer to fetal medicine and what they assess
• amnioreduction indications, risks, and diagnostic value
• reassurance for parents and guidance for midwives

If you have, it’d be fantastic if you could subscribe, rate and review on whatever platform you find your podcasts, as well as recommending The OBSPod to anyone you think might find it interesting

Want to know more:

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tog.70021

Thank you all for listening, My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes here https://padlet.com/WhoseShoes/TheObsPod I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Twitter @FWmaternity & @TheObsPod as well as Instagram @TheObsPod and e...

Remember my popular Episode 29 on big babies from five years ago? Today I'm diving into what's changed since then, spurred by Warwick University's Big Baby trial, new research examining whether early induction truly prevents complications in pregnancies where scans predict larger babies.

The most startling revelation? A whopping 60% of babies predicted to be above the 90th centile weren't actually that large at birth. This margin of error should give us serious pause when recommending interventions based on third-trimester scans.
What also troubled me was the study design itself. The "standard care" group still saw about 75% of women receiving some form of intervention rather than experiencing spontaneous labour. With only six days average difference in delivery timing between groups, is there really enough distinction to draw meaningful conclusions? The recorded times between head and body delivery (just over one minute in both groups) further suggests we might be rushing physiological processes unnecessarily.

For pregnant women hearing "your baby might be big," take these predictions with healthy skepticism. Having a larger baby doesn't automatically mean a difficult birth lies ahead. For healthcare providers, perhaps it's time we questioned whether we've trapped ourselves in a cycle of intervention based on imprecise predictions and exaggerated risks.

Listen to this update alongside my original Episode 29 Big baby and episode 102 Shoulder Dystocia. Subscribe, rate, and share if you found this valuable!

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00162-X/fulltext

Thank you all for listening, My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes here https://padlet.com/WhoseShoes/TheObsPod I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Twitter @FWmaternity & @TheObsPod as well as Instagram @TheObsPod and e...