I felt that Natala’s post from yesterday didn’t properly convey the anguish that SOME OF US might have been feeling.

During our normal doctor’s visit two days ago, after we had the ultrasound, the Tech said she’d show the doctor the what was found, and that we needed to wait. She came back and my heart sank when the tech told us the doctor wanted to see us again. So, we went back into one of the examining rooms and waited again.

Things didn’t much better when the doctor and a nurse marched in. They told us what was going on, letting us know that the specialist we were being referred to was going to call us TODAY. Again, a little scary.

The thing is, I’m a worrier… of the WORST kind. After leaving the office, I tried to promise myself that I wouldn’t look up what could cause low amniotic fluid… but I did anyway.  Here’s what I came across:

Leaky or ruptured membranes
A small tear in your amniotic membranes allows some fluid to leak out. This can happen at any point in your pregnancy, but it’s more common as you approach delivery. You may notice the leaking fluid yourself if you find that your underwear is wet, or your practitioner may discover it during an exam.

A ruptured membrane can increase the risk of infection to both you and your baby because it provides a way for bacteria to enter the amniotic sac. Occasionally, a tear will heal on its own, the leaking will stop, and the fluid level will return to normal. (This is usually the case if the leaking happens after an amniocentesis.)

Placental problems
A problem with your placenta, such as a partial abruption, keeps it from supplying enough blood and nutrients to your baby and causes him to stop recycling fluid.

Certain medical conditions
As mentioned above, certain conditions — such as chronic high blood pressure, preeclampsia, diabetes, and lupus — can result in low amniotic fluid levels.

Fetal abnormalities
If you’re found to have low levels of amniotic fluid in your first or second trimester, it may mean that your baby has a birth defect. If his kidneys aren’t there or aren’t developing properly (Potter’s syndrome) or his urinary tract is blocked, your baby won’t produce enough urine to maintain the level of amniotic fluid. A congenital heart defect can also cause this problem.

The next day (yesterday) my anxieties began to kick up a notch. I was scared that something could seriously be wrong. My mind began to spit out visualizations of all sorts of scenarios, and it frightened me.

After leaving the specialist appointment, though, and discovering that everything was going well, I was quite relieved and grateful. I imagine, this is the first of many scary experiences I will be facing as a parent.