What should I do if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck?

Written by Liu Wen Li

Obstetrics

Updated on September 16, 2024

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Umbilical cord entanglement around the neck is a common complication for pregnant women. It mostly occurs with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck once, accounting for about 20% of all deliveries, which means that 1 in 5 pregnant women will experience this condition. The main danger of umbilical cord entanglement is that if the cord is wrapped tightly or is short, it can pull on the cord during pregnancy or delivery, causing the blood vessels within the cord to constrict. This constriction can decrease the fetal blood circulation, leading to fetal distress, which is characterized by changes in fetal heart rate and fetal movement. Therefore, if there is umbilical cord entanglement, it is important to enhance monitoring during pregnancy and delivery. If fetal distress or fetal hypoxia occurs, a cesarean section should be performed promptly to terminate the pregnancy.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

46sec

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Will there be changes in the fetal heart rate if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck?

When the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck, there are some situations where changes in the fetal heart rate may occur. The umbilical cord is mostly wrapped around the neck just once, which generally does not affect the growth and development of the fetus, nor does it significantly change the fetal heart rate. The impact on the fetal heart rate in the case of nuchal cord depends on how tight the cord is wrapped around the neck, the number of loops, and the length of the umbilical cord, among other factors. If the umbilical cord is tightly wrapped and has multiple loops, or if it is compressed due to contractions of the uterus, it can obstruct fetal blood circulation and lead to hypoxia in the fetus, thereby affecting the fetal heart rate.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

47sec

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The difference between U-shaped and W-shaped nuchal cords.

During pregnancy, through ultrasound examination, if echoes of the umbilical cord are found around the fetus’s neck in U-shaped or W-shaped patterns, this indicates the presence of nuchal cord. The difference between U-shape and W-shape primarily lies in the number of wraps around the neck. A U-shaped notch indicates the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once; a W-shape indicates it is wrapped twice. When nuchal cord is present, there is no need to be overly anxious; regular prenatal check-ups can be conducted at the hospital to monitor the development of the nuchal cord and the safety of the fetus inside the uterus.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

Obstetrics

39sec

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Can nuchal cord be corrected by lying prone?

Nuchal cord refers to a condition during pregnancy where the umbilical cord wraps around the fetus's neck or abdomen due to the baby's continuous movements and changes in position. Lying prone cannot correct a nuchal cord because the fetus can move freely within the womb. In some cases, the baby may even resolve the issue through its movements, so there is no need for excessive worry. It is only necessary to visit the hospital regularly for prenatal check-ups, follow the doctor's advice, and monitor the fetal heart rate. Generally, this does not cause any adverse effects.

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Written by Zhang Yin Xing

Obstetrics

1min

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What should I do if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once?

Umbilical cord wrapping around the neck once is a very common phenomenon, occurring in 20% of fetuses. When the umbilical cord wraps around the neck once, if the umbilical blood flow and fetal movements are normal, it indicates that the cord wrapping does not affect the fetus and will not have a direct impact on the fetus's intrauterine growth and development. However, during childbirth, attention must be paid to the possibility that the umbilical cord wrapping may cause difficulties in the descent of the presenting part of the fetus, leading to abnormal umbilical blood flow. If difficulties in the descent of the presenting part and changes in the fetal heart rate occur during delivery, the possibility of umbilical cord wrapping should be considered. If necessary, a cesarean section should be performed to terminate the pregnancy. There are no medications or other treatments that can alleviate umbilical cord wrapping; instead, enhanced prenatal monitoring is sufficient.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

1min 1sec

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What to do if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once in late pregnancy?

During the late stages of pregnancy, a B-ultrasound might sometimes reveal that the fetus has the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck once. This condition is a physiological occurrence. Having the cord wrapped once around the neck does not cause intrauterine hypoxia or harm the growth and development of the fetus inside the womb. The vast majority of cases where the cord is wrapped are physiological, and whether the cord is wrapped around once or twice, there is no need for excessive worry. In the late stages of pregnancy, the most important thing when the cord is found wrapped around the neck is to monitor fetal movements. As long as the fetal movements are good, it indicates that the fetus is in a normal condition inside the womb. It is also important to keep up with regular prenatal check-ups to assess whether the fetal growth and development are normal. Additionally, it is not advised to take any action to intervene when the cord is wrapped around the neck, as neither adopting sleeping positions nor any other methods can release the cord from the neck. These methods are futile and sometimes might even harm the fetus.