What to do if the fetal umbilical cord wraps around the neck
Release time : 09/09/2025 09:30:03
The umbilical cord has compensatory expansion, and the entanglement and relaxation do not affect the fetus significantly. However, if it is too tight or has multiple coils, it can impair blood supply to the fetus, potentially leading to changes in fetal heart rate, perinatal hypoxia, asphyxia, and even death.
The umbilical cord wrapped around the neck is a common phenomenon in obstetrics, accounting for about 20% to 25% of births.
The causes are related to a prolonged umbilical cord, fetal smallness, polyhydramnios and frequent fetal movements.
The impact of umbilical cord looping on the fetus is related to its number and tightness, length of the umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid volume.
What should I do if the umbilical cord surrounds the neck of the fetus? There are umbilical cord blood vessels in the umbilical cord that maintain the life of the fetus. The length of the umbilical cord blood vessel is longer than that of the umbilical cord. The blood vessel is usually curled in a spiral shape. The umbilical cord itself is wrapped around a gel and has a certain elasticity. The fetus that is wrapped around the umbilical cord for a week or the umbilical cord covers the neck, Because the umbilical cord is relatively small, clinical symptoms will not occur. This kind of entanglement is not dangerous to both mother and baby, and the mother can still deliver it smoothly via the vagina.
Even if the cord wraps around the neck, due to the lesser mobility of the fetal head, as long as the cord is not tightly compressed, it generally does not pose a threat to the fetus's health.
However, the tightness of umbilical cord wrapping is related to the number of wraps and the length of the umbilical cord. If it's tightly wrapped, it will affect the blood flow through the umbilical cord, causing fetal hypoxia and even death.
During labor, when the fetal head descends, the umbilical cord is compressed or the umbilical cord is relatively short, the fetal heart rate slows down, and the fetal head descends are blocked. At this time, it is necessary to decide whether a cesarean section is needed based on the progress of the labor process and the hypoxia of the fetus. Or vaginal midwifery.
Why does a fetus have umbilical cord wrap? Umbilical cord wrap refers to the fact that the umbilical cord of the fetus may wrap around its neck. If it happens accidentally, it may cause the fetus to have difficulty breathing and even die.
Therefore, no expectant mother wants her baby to have this situation.
So why does the umbilical cord wrap around the neck? When the umbilical cord is too long, the fetus is too small, there is too much hydramnios, and the fetal movement is too frequent.
When the umbilical cord is wrapped around the carcass, and then the fetus passes through the umbilical cord collar to make the knot real, it is very likely to lead to a lack of blood supplied to the fetus, leading to ischemia and hypoxia.
Umbilical cord prolapse easily occurs when the fetal presentation cannot be connected.
This is often due to abnormal fetal position, high fetal head, or an unsuitable pelvis-fetal size, excessive amniotic fluid, and long umbilical cord.
Causes of umbilical cord wrapping: Umbilical cord wrapping is associated with the length of the cord and fetal movements. Autorotation or external rotation of the fetus can lead to this condition.
In term infants with umbilical cord wraps around the neck for 1 week, the length of the umbilical cord required is 18 to 20 cm, and the more times the wraps occur, the greater the risk.
The umbilical cord can also get longer, but a short umbilical cord can still cause the cord to wrap around the neck.
Given the high prevalence of cord wrapping around the neck, it is not necessarily considered a high-risk pregnancy if there is an associated cord around the neck. However, it is important to be vigilant of the potential adverse effects of cord wrapping around the neck on the neonate. Pregnant women who have a fetal heart rate decrement during prenatal or intrapartum examinations may experience a significantly increased risk of morbidity and mortality in their neonates during childbirth.
Enhance pre- and intrapartum fetal monitoring, selecting the correct mode of delivery can reduce morbidity and mortality rates for neonates with umbilical cord wrapping.
The risk of fetal umbilical cord wrapping around the neck, and its impact on the fetus. The degree of wrapping and tightness, the length of the umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid volume are related to it.
It is also related to whether labor has begun.
During labor, if the fetal head is delivered downwards, it can cause the previously loose umbilical cord to gradually tighten.
Generally speaking, infants with umbilical cords wrapped around them once or umbilical cords around the neck are unlikely to develop clinical symptoms because of the mild degree of umbilical cord compression. This type of umbilical cord wrapping poses no significant risk to mother or child, allowing for a smooth vaginal delivery.
Even with a umbilical cord wrapped around the neck, since the fetal head has less activity, it is generally not harmful to the fetus if the umbilical cord is not constricted.
During pregnancy, if an umbilical cord is found around the neck, as long as the fetus continues to move, the pregnant woman does not need to worry too much.
However, for fetuses with many weeks of entanglement and heavy compression, the umbilical cord can lead to relatively short umbilical cord. If it is wrapped tightly, it will affect the umbilical cord blood flow. First, it will affect the metabolism of fetal oxygen and carbon dioxide, causing the fetus to appear. The fetal heart rate slows down.
In severe cases, fetal hypoxia may occur, potentially leading to fetal death. Handling is relatively passive and challenging.
How to Prevent Fetal Cerebral Cord Twisting? Fetal cerebral cord twisting is an abnormal phenomenon during fetal development. Can it be avoided? Here are some ways for expectant mothers to reduce the incidence of fetal cerebral cord twisting.
1. Maintain a proper diet, consume a variety of nutritious foods, avoid alcohol and tobacco, as well as highly spicy and stimulating foods, and refrain from eating raw seafood, undercooked or allergenic foods.
2. Appropriate exercise, choose gentle activities such as walking, swimming, and prenatal exercise, avoid intense sports and also avoid too noisy environments.
3. Appropriate rest is essential, and living a regular life is crucial; avoid staying up late or being overly indulgent in playtime to prevent excessive fatigue.
4. Appropriate Fetal Education: When engaging in fetal education, it is important to select melodious music with a soft tempo, avoid loud sounds, and keep the duration short and the frequency moderate.
By following these points, you can effectively prevent excessive stimulation of the fetus, avoiding long-term overexcitement and activity. This significantly reduces the incidence of umbilical cord wrapping around the neck.
Precautions for Fetal Cervical Cord Tightening: If a fetus is found to have cervical cord tangling, expectant mothers must be vigilant, reduce activities, rest adequately, and learn to count fetal movements. If the fetal movements are excessive or insufficient, it is necessary to promptly seek medical examination.
Below, Mawang Knowledge Base offers some small advice to pregnant women. What should you pay attention to in daily life? First, learn to count fetal movements. If the fetal movement is too much or too little, it is necessary to check it out at the hospital in time.
Secondly, it is important to undergo prenatal examinations for conditions such as polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios, fetal position abnormalities.
Third, through indirect methods such as fetal heart monitoring and ultrasound examination, the condition of the umbilical cord can be assessed.
Fourth, do not request a cesarean section due to fear of complications related to the umbilical cord.
Fifth, it is important to reduce motion and maintain sleep in a lateral position.
6. At home, you can use a Doppler fetal heart monitor twice daily for monitoring the fetus's condition. Regular check-ups are recommended to promptly address any issues that arise.
The medical information provided in this text is for reference only.
In the event of discomfort, it is advised to seek medical attention immediately. The diagnosis and treatment are subject to a consultation with a medical professional in person.