Peripartum hyponatraemia: an overview of physiology, prevention and management

Abstract

Hyponatraemia in labour is a common but underreported condition. It can cause considerable complications, altering the management of labour, and fetal and maternal outcomes. Pregnant women are predisposed to hyponatraemia because of the physiological changes in water and sodium homeostasis occurring in pregnancy and the peripartum period. Prevention is key to improving women’s wellbeing in the peripartum period. Fluid balance charts, alongside the partogram, should be an integral part of any low and high‐risk labour management strategy. There is an urgent need for national guidance to enable clinicians to make appropriate decisions.