What is Amniotic Fluid?
Amniotic fluid is a fluid which surrounds a developing embryo to provide nutrition, insulate the embryo from shock, and encourage healthy fetal development. Humans are often familiar with amniotic fluid as a symptom of labor, because the membranes which hold the fluid back usually rupture in labor, in a phenomenon which people refer to as “breaking water.” When a woman’s water breaks, it means that the baby is well on the way. 12 days after conception, the amniotic sac, also known as the amnion, starts to form. This sac protects the developing fetus, and it slowly fills with amniotic fluid and swells as the fetus grows. Initially, the mother’s body provides the source of liquid, but over time, much of the fluid is fetal in origin. By the end of the pregnancy, a lot of the amniotic fluid is in fact urine generated by the developing fetus. In the early stages, the amniotic fluid is clear, and it provides critical nutrition to the fetus as it develops. Over time, it fills with shed skin c
