Amniotic fluid contains amino acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, hormones, and growth
factors. While the concentration of these nutrients is much lower than that found in human
milk, the large volumes of amniotic fluid swallowed in utero (up to a liter a day late in
gestation, considerably more than the newborn consumes after birth) have a significant
impact on growth and maturation of both the fetus and the fetal intestine. Animal studies
and limited human observations suggest that swallowed amniotic fluid accounts for about
15% of fetal growth