Rupture of the membranes is the most common cause of oligohydramnios.

However, because the amniotic fluid is primarily fetal urine in the latter half of the pregnancy, the absence of fetal urine production or a blockage in the fetus' urinary tract can also result in oligohydramnios. Fetal swallowing, which occurs physiologically, reduces the amount of fluid, and an absence of swallowing or a blockage of the fetus' GI tract can lead to polyhydramnios.