Umbilical cord entanglement and intrapartum complications

To evaluate the outcomes of pregnancies complicated by umbilical cord entanglement. Material &

We selected pregnant women who referred to Niknafs maternity hospital with singleton, vertex and term pregnancy. Pregnancies with infants with no umbilical cord entanglement served as comparison group.

Of the 4 78 deliveries, the frequency of umbilical cord entanglement was 40.17%. The frequency of nuchal cord entanglement was 34.3% and around limbs or trunk was 5%. The frequency of two or more cord entanglements at delivery was 6.49%. Pregnancies with umbilical cord entanglement were more likely to exhibit an abnormal fetal heart rate pattern (P<0.001). The mean numbers of umbilical cord elangement in infants who had mecunium was more than infants without mecunium (P=0.024).

Umbilical cord entanglement was associated with a greater risk of mecunium, an abnormal fetal heart pattern during labor. It is possible to detect this problem with Doppler ultrasonography during prenatal scan.