Little research has been done into the functions and properties of amniotic fluid across the entire pregnancy period and during birth, due to the potential difficulties in acquiring samples.

It is recognized that amniotic fluid cushions and protects the foetus, regulates temperature and has a role in helping with organ development, in particular the lungs, skin and digestive tract.  Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University were interested in understanding whether amniotic fluid changed during the course of pregnancy and what other functions and qualities it might have.

Using amniotic fluid obtained during amniocentesis, the researchers found that, when added to blood plasma, amniotic fluid plays an important role in modifying blood clotting and coagulation, and is probably an important factor in controlling excessive bleeding during pregnancy and childbirth. They also discovered that the composition of amniotic fluid changes during the course of pregnancy to meet the needs of the developing foetus. Given that the proteins and components of amniotic fluid change, it can also be viewed as a pre-cursor to breast milk – a ‘pre-term’ milk - and this could have implications for pre-term babies’ nutrition.  

Further research is now needed to examine how the coagulation properties of amniotic fluid might help with in-utero surgery for neural tube defects and whether it might have other potential therapeutic roles. Babies born prematurely might be missing important developmental time in the changing amniotic fluid, and this is also an area worthy of more research.

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Read more: Oregon Health & Science University (2025) Researchers identify protective properties of amniotic fluid. Science Daily, 31 January. Available at: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250131110707.htm  <accessed 04 February, 2025>

Read more: Yang, C.J. et al. (2025) Characterization of the procoagulant phenotype of amniotic fluid across gestation in rhesus macaques and humans. Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 9 (1): 102676.