The effects of maternal position on the amniotic fluid index.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the influence of maternal positioning on the measurement of the amniotic fluid index (AFI) in third-trimester pregnancies. We wanted to determine whether a change in the position of the women, from supine-flat to supine-elevated, would influence the measurement of the AFI. METHODS: Each patient had AFI measurements obtained in both positions by the same investigator. RESULTS: We determined the values of the amniotic fluid index to be consistent in both positions for pregnancies with normal AFI measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of the amniotic fluid did not appear to be influenced by maternal position in the third trimester when the AFI was in the normal range.