Impact of Low Salt Diet in Upswing Amniotic Fluid Volume in Patients Diagnosed with Oligohydramnios and Assigned for Conservative Management

Background: Oligohydramnios, defined as decreased amniotic fluid volume, poses significant risks to fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. Conservative management strategies aim to optimize maternal hydration and placental perfusion. Dietary modifications, particularly sodium restriction, have been proposed as non-invasive interventions to improve amniotic fluid volume, yet supporting clinical data remain limited. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a low-salt diet on amniotic fluid volume in pregnant women diagnosed with oligohydramnios undergoing conservative management. Methods: A prospective interventional study was at Combined Military Hospital, Malir, Karachi from 2 June to 2 Sep 2023, including 220 pregnant women with oligohydramnios, selected through non-probability consecutive sampling. Following informed consent, 220 pregnant women diagnosed with ultrasound-confirmed oligohydramnios (AFI ≤5 cm) were enrolled in the study. Each participant received individualized counseling to follow a low-salt diet, with daily sodium intake restricted to less than 2 grams. Results: Out of 220 pregnant women with oligohydramnios, 72.3% showed a ≥2 cm increase in amniotic fluid index (AFI) after two weeks on a low salt diet (mean AFI increased from 4.2 ± 0.6 cm to 6.1 ± 0.9 cm; p < 0.001). Women with improved AFI had lower rates of cesarean delivery (31.4% vs. 52.5%; p = 0.01) and better neonatal outcomes, including higher birth weights, improved Apgar scores, and fewer NICU admissions (p < 0.01). High compliance with the diet significantly correlated with better outcomes (p < 0.001), and adverse effects were minimal. Conclusion: A low-salt diet significantly improves amniotic fluid volume in pregnant women with oligohydramnios managed conservatively. These findings support incorporating dietary sodium restriction into routine management protocols as a simple and safe strategy to improve pregnancy outcomes in such cases.