How to correct the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck once?

Written by Zhao Su Min
Obstetrics
Updated on October 22, 2024
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The umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once, and there is no way to correct it; it cannot be rectified by changing position or through medication.

The umbilical cord being wrapped around the neck once can be due to the umbilical cord being relatively long, or the fetus having a large range of movement within the womb. During pregnancy, as the fetal movements change, it might wrap around twice or even three times, although it's also possible that there will be no wrapping of the umbilical cord around the neck by the end.

There is no need to panic if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once. Pay attention to fetal movements and attend regular prenatal check-ups. If there is an increase or decrease in fetal movements, it is important to visit the hospital promptly to have an ultrasound, listen to the fetal heartbeat, and check for any signs of fetal hypoxia. If fetal hypoxia is present, oxygen therapy should be administered, and pregnancy termination may be necessary if required.

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Written by Liu Wen Li
Obstetrics
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Is there any danger in natural childbirth with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck once?

Umbilical cord wrapping around the neck once is completely manageable with a natural birth, as it is very common in clinical practice, and many pregnant women with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck have successfully delivered naturally. Even cases where the umbilical cord wraps around the neck twice, or even three times, can still undergo natural childbirth. Therefore, trying for a natural birth with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck once is entirely feasible. Of course, during this process, it is necessary to monitor changes in the fetal heart rate or other conditions. As long as there are no issues with the fetal heart or other aspects, the mere fact of the umbilical cord being wrapped around the neck does not affect the delivery.

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Written by Zhang Yin Xing
Obstetrics
1min 24sec home-news-image

How to prevent umbilical cord entanglement in late pregnancy

There are no effective prevention methods for nuchal cord, which is the most common form of umbilical cord entanglement where the cord wraps around the fetus's neck, limbs, or trunk. Nuchal cord occurs in 90% of these cases, frequently involving the cord wrapping around the neck once. This phenomenon can be observed in 20% of deliveries and is associated with factors such as an overly long umbilical cord, a small fetus, excessive amniotic fluid, and frequent fetal movements. An excessively long umbilical cord is mostly a physiological occurrence since the cord floats in the amniotic fluid and its actual length cannot be accurately measured, with no effective methods to prevent its occurrence. Excessive amniotic fluid and a small fetus are linked to certain pregnancy complications, such as diabetes-induced polyhydramnios and restricted fetal growth. Actively controlling blood sugar during pregnancy can prevent such issues. Frequent fetal movements are physiological for some pregnant women. Women who experience more frequent fetal movements throughout pregnancy are likely to encounter nuchal cord. Clinically, nuchal cord does not require special management unless it leads to obstructions in fetal descent, fetal distress, or variations in fetal heart rate. It does not impact delivery or fetal development.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Does umbilical cord around the neck require a B-ultrasound recheck?

When there is a situation of umbilical cord around the neck, pregnant women need to regularly visit the hospital for an ultrasound checkup to understand the condition of the umbilical cord entanglement, mainly to monitor the umbilical blood flow. If there is an increase in umbilical blood flow, it indicates that the cord entanglement is tight, which can affect the baby's safety, potentially leading to lack of oxygen or suffocation. Therefore, in the late stages of pregnancy, it is also necessary to go to the hospital every 3-7 days for fetal heart monitoring to check if there is any lack of oxygen in the fetus while inside the womb. If there is fetal hypoxia in the late stages of pregnancy, it is advisable to terminate the pregnancy in a timely manner.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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How long should I wait before rechecking the ultrasound if the umbilical cord is around the neck?

When there is an occurrence of umbilical cord around the neck, it is generally recommended to have an ultrasound examination once every one to two weeks. Umbilical cord around the neck is a relatively common phenomenon during pregnancy, mostly due to the umbilical cord being too long, frequent fetal movements, and an excessive amount of amniotic fluid. These factors can cause the umbilical cord to wrap around the fetus's neck, and it may also wrap around the fetus's abdomen or limbs. Therefore, when umbilical cord entanglement occurs, it is important to enhance prenatal check-ups to regularly monitor changes in fetal heart rate and fetal movement. Additionally, towards the late stages of pregnancy, the appropriate method of delivery should be selected based on the specific circumstances of the umbilical cord entanglement.

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Written by Zhang Yin Xing
Obstetrics
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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.