Purpose: to study the changes in amniotic fluid index (AFI) measured by ultrasonography, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse rate in normal pregnant women submitted to subtotal body immersion in water for different periods of time, and to standardize the technique. Methods: AFI values were studied as recommended by Phelan et al.¹ in a group of 52 pregnant women with gestational age of 28 weeks or more considered to be clinically normal, before and after exposure to subtotal immersion in water heated to 32 to 34ºC for 30, 45 and 60 min. The patients were seen at the Ultrasonography and Medical Updating School of Ribeirão Preto and in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. Results: before and after immersion, the average of MAP was 87.8 and 87.1 in the group of 30 min, 76.7 and 66.6 in the group of 45 min and 77.4 and 60.7 in the group of 60 min, with statistical significance. Before and after immersion, the means of pulse rates were 74.9 and 78.7 in the group of 30 min, 83.6 and 85.2 in the group of 45 min and 84.9 and 90.6 in the group of 60 min, with statistical significance. The mean of AFI also showed statistical significance. When submitted to 30-min immersion the means of AFI were 11.7 cm before and 16.8 cm after. In the group of 45 min, the averages were 9.7 cm before and 13.8 cm after immersion. In the group of 60 min, the averages were 9.5 cm before and 13.6 cm after immersion. The time of immersion of 30-min was as effective and ample as 45 or 60 min. Conclusions: subtotal immersion in water is a safe and practical procedure that can mobilize fluids during pregnancy, increasing amniotic fluid volume.
Amniotic fluid index; Amniotic fluid, subtotal immersion in water; Pregnancy, normal
