Okay, so I've heard this mentioned a few times. Sounds like a load of hoodly to me.

One patient, primip, had been ruptured for 20 hours or so. Said something to the effect of she didn't want to go for 24 hours post arom, b/c she didn't want a "Dry birth".

One lady, a visitor of a laboring pt, said she was "In active labor for 10 days. My water broke on the 6th, I delivered on the 16th and it was a dry birth"

So educate me. B/c not a single birth I've seen in my year as a l&d nurse has been the least bit dry ?

Dalzac said:
When my daughter gave birth 15 yrs ago she had originally gone in for an ultra sound she wasn't due quit yet but very sonn When they did the US she had no amniotic fluid at all and was rushed into surg for a ceaserean(?) So within 30 minutes they delivered. Why would that be an emergency?

I have heard of dry birth and thought that was what she had.

I have no experience in that field and haven't got a clue.

The medical diagnosis for that is oligohydramnios. Without amniotic fluid, fetal lung development is severly comprimised. But there is always some sort of fluid involved with a delivery.Women hear horror stories about "dry birth" and think that the baby is going to need to get pulled out of there. :uhoh3:

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
Dalzac said:
When my daughter gave birth 15 yrs ago she had originally gone in for an ultra sound she wasn't due quit yet but very sonn When they did the US she had no amniotic fluid at all and was rushed into surg for a ceaserean(?) So within 30 minutes they delivered. Why would that be an emergency?

I have heard of dry birth and thought that was what she had.

I have no experience in that field and haven't got a clue.

Another danger with low volume of amniotic fluid is the risk of cord compression. The baby and umbilical cord normally "float" in the fluid-filled uterus, preventing the cord from becoming trapped between the baby and the wall of the uterus, or between the baby's head and the cervix. Compression of the cord can occur when there is inadequate fluid to keep baby and cord afloat, and can cut off the oxygen supply to the baby.

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

My mom, God rest her soul, used to tell everyone that I was the product of a dry birth. It wasn't until I got into nursing school and took OB that I understood there was no such thing. Of course try to tell my mom that! She was from "the old country".

Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.
Jolie said:
Another danger with low volume of amniotic fluid is the risk of cord compression. The baby and umbilical cord normally "float" in the fluid-filled uterus, preventing the cord from becoming trapped between the baby and the wall of the uterus, or between the baby's head and the cervix. Compression of the cord can occur when there is inadequate fluid to keep baby and cord afloat, and can cut off the oxygen supply to the baby.

Is compression of a cord the same as prolapsed cord?

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
zahryia said:
Is compression of a cord the same as prolapsed cord?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

A prolapsed cord is one that passes thru the cervix in advance of the baby's presenting part, meaning that as the baby descends into and thru the birth canal, there is no way to avoid compressing the cord and cutting off the baby's oxygen and glucose supply during delivery. It is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate action to relieve pressure on the cord until a stat C-section can be done. So, it is one form of cord compression.

But cord compression can and does happen at times other than delivery. The cord can become "squished" between the baby and wall of the uterus at virtually any time during pregnancy, but usually only lasts for seconds and doesn't cause harm. Having reduced amounts of amniotic fluid increases the risks of this happening, and the dangers associated with lack of oxygen and glucose.

Specializes in L & D and Mother-Baby.

I had PROM with my last daughter at 32 weeks and delivered at 34 weeks. I was in the hospital but as you all well know, on bedrest and antibiotics, I kept reaccumulating fluid. It was an extremely "wet" two weeks for me!

Yeah I've heard this one allot.

Usually its from patients mothers who claim to have had one. Usually they whisper "dry birth" as if saying it is a curse.

None of them ever explain what that means to them, I honestly believe they don't know. It just sounds scary and well all know how much ppl love to torment young mothers by telling them horror stories and how much the older generations like to talk about how bad their labor was

My mom always told me that she labored for 48 hours and then had a c/s with bad anesthesia. I recently met my biological father (they split when I wa about 1 yr old). He was telling me about when I was born and without any knowledge of what my mother had told me he mentioned that it was a scheduled c/s due to failed pelvimetry. Or, as he explained it, "doctor said she was too small down there" LOL so I never told my mom I'll let her tell the story however she wants, was pretty funny though.

Thanks for clearing this up for me as well. I use to hear dry birth all of time when I was pregnant and was scared as he** to give birth. Thank God for c-sections.

Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry.

The only "dry birth" I've heard of has been oligohydroamnios (sp?). Even then, there is still fluid that accompanies the baby. Other than that, I have no idea what a "dry birth" is.

My mum always claimed my birth was a dry one and that I came out with dry flaky skin. I'm thinking post dates, but as for dry? Ha, fat chance!

My sister was on our floor for 5 days prior to her delivery.....gestational diabetes which was out of control. She went into labor naturally....guess who the nurse was on duty ??? Me !! Ok, I guess I had to check her......she was 7 cm. and we moved to the labor deck. Babe born pretty uneventfully, no amniotic fluid in sight. Babe looked like someone spread baby food peas all over him. Fortunately he was ok. I still tell people no such thing as a dry birth, but I think that one came close !!! Hate taking care of people I know !!!

Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry.
magz53 said:
My sister was on our floor for 5 days prior to her delivery.....gestational diabetes which was out of control. She went into labor naturally....guess who the nurse was on duty ??? Me !! Ok, I guess I had to check her......she was 7 cm. and we moved to the labor deck. Babe born pretty uneventfully, no amniotic fluid in sight. Babe looked like someone spread baby food peas all over him. Fortunately he was ok. I still tell people no such thing as a dry birth, but I think that one came close !!! Hate taking care of people I know !!!

This may be a silly question, but doesn't gestational diabetes usually cause polyhydroamnios?

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