What are the two major functions of amniotic fluid?

• A. Providing nutrition to the fetus and maintaining body temperature
• B. Preventing cord compression and promoting lung development
• C. Facilitating placental transfer and filtering wastes
• D. Maintaining maternal hydration and electrolyte balance

Answer: (B)

Amniotic fluid mainly serves to protect the fetus and support its growth, with two key roles standing out. It helps prevent cord compression by creating a buoyant environment in which the umbilical cord floats, reducing the chance that contractions or fetal movement will press on the cord and compromise oxygen and nutrient delivery. It also promotes lung development because the fetus constantly swallows and inhales this fluid in a fluid-filled space, which is essential for the maturation of the lungs; when fluid volume is insufficient, the risk of pulmonary hypoplasia increases. Nutrition and waste exchange are handled primarily by the placenta, not by the amniotic fluid, and maternal hydration or electrolyte balance isn’t a direct function of the fluid.