What can cause amniotic fluid levels to be low, and what can increase it? 

You wanted to know what can cause low amniotic fluid levels and what you personally can do about it if your levels are low. And low amniotic fluid levels can be due to a lot of different things, including fetal congenital anomalies, placental abruption, maternal medical conditions, preeclampsia, or even sometimes the woman's water just breaks prematurely and it's leaking out, so that makes the level go down lower. If your doctor has told you that you have a low amniotic fluid level, I suggest talking with them, and based on their knowledge of your circumstances, they can tell you what they think might be contributing to it in your situation.
They can also give you tailored information and advice about interventions that might be necessary in order to help increase fluid levels. For example, sometimes doctors will recommend bedrest and drinking more water. And research has actually shown that when a woman drinks 1 to 2 liters of fluid, it may temporarily increase her amniotic fluid levels. But this only applies to women who started with a low amniotic fluid level, not for women who had a normal level to begin with. In addition to bedrest and drinking more fluid, a doctor may recommend additional monitoring to regularly check the fluid levels, possibly a baby's growth, possibly do non-stress tests, watch the pattern of the baby's heart beat, and so again, I suggest talking with your doctor and they'll tell you what they think needs to be done in order to make sure you and your baby are as healthy as possible during the pregnancy. If you have more questions in the future for me, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at / intermountainmoms , and recommend us to your friends and family too.