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Inside a pregnant woman's uterus is an amniotic sac, which contains amniotic fluid and the growing fetus. The amniotic fluid is important for several reasons:

• It helps keep the baby warm
• Provides lubrication preventing the baby's body parts from growing together
• Enables the baby to move easily to exercise muscles and strengthen bones before being born
• Acts like a liquid shock absorber for the baby by distributing any force that may push on the mother's uterus

Amniotic fluid is 98% water and 2% salts and cells from the baby. Until the fetal kidneys started working during month four, the mother's body makes amniotic fluid. But after month 4, the baby makes a contribution to the amniotic fluid by urinating into it. The urine in the amniotic sac is completely harmless to the baby. The baby swallows amniotic fluid, which then passes through the digestive system, into the kidneys, and returns to the amniotic sac as urine. In this way, the baby can practice using the digestive and urinary systems prior to birth.

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