What should I do if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once during the mid-pregnancy?

Written by Liu Wen Li
Obstetrics
Updated on September 25, 2024
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The incidence of the umbilical cord wrapping around the neck once is quite high, accounting for about one-fifth of pregnant women. Generally, if the umbilical cord is loosely wrapped around the child's neck, and if the cord is long enough, it usually does not have a significant impact on the fetus.

However, if the umbilical cord is tightly wrapped around the neck, and additionally, if the cord is relatively short, it can sometimes lead to pulling and thinning of the cord, causing obstruction in the blood vessels within the cord. This can result in oxygen deficiency for the baby. Therefore, during the mid-pregnancy period when umbilical cord entanglement occurs, it is important to enhance monitoring. Regular prenatal check-ups, counting fetal movements by oneself, and frequent monitoring of fetal heart rate changes are advisable.

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Can you exercise with the umbilical cord around the neck?

When a nuchal cord occurs, one should not have too much psychological burden, as it is a fairly common situation. The prognosis should be determined based on the specific circumstances of the nuchal cord, including the number of loops and the tightness of the loops. If the cord wraps around once or if there is a loose knot, appropriate activities can be undertaken. However, if the wrapping is tight, or if there are multiple loops, one should regularly visit the hospital for prenatal check-ups to understand the safety of the fetus in the womb. In such cases, it is necessary to reduce activities to avoid increasing the risk of nuchal cord complications, which could cause fetal hypoxia or even suffocation.

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36 weeks umbilical cord around the neck 2 weeks how to correct

At 36 weeks of pregnancy, which is approximately 9 months, it is close to full-term gestation. If an ultrasound reveals that the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck twice, it often indicates the presence of a W-shaped notch behind the neck. Having the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck twice is a normal physiological occurrence and does not affect the growth and development of the fetus. Many pregnant women, upon hearing about the umbilical cord around the neck, fear it might affect fetal growth and development or cause ischemia or hypoxia, and thus want to correct it through various methods. Firstly, it is unnecessary to correct the umbilical cord around the neck as it is a physiological change. Secondly, there is no known method to correct this condition; neither dietary activities nor any other methods can intervene with the umbilical cord being wrapped around the neck. Therefore, there is no need, nor is there a way, to intervene with the umbilical cord wrapping; it is sufficient to simply observe and wait.

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Written by Liu Wen Li
Obstetrics
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How to correct nuchal cord with one loop?

Nuchal cord occurs because the fetus moves frequently within the uterine cavity, which can result in the umbilical cord looping around the neck once, referred to as a single-loop nuchal cord. In fact, it is not correctable because it is impossible to physically reach the umbilical cord or the fetus during pregnancy. Moreover, a single-loop nuchal cord is quite common, occurring in about one-fifth of all pregnancies. If the loop is loose or the umbilical cord is sufficiently long, there is generally no significant impact on the baby. However, if the loop is tight, it can pull on the umbilical cord, causing the blood vessels within the cord to narrow. This may lead to noticeable changes in fetal movements and heart rate. Therefore, with a nuchal cord, it is important to enhance monitoring and pay attention to changes in fetal movements and heart rate.

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Written by Liu Wen Li
Obstetrics
59sec home-news-image

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

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 Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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What should I do if the fetal umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once?

During the prenatal ultrasound, it is sometimes discovered that the umbilical cord is wrapped around the fetus's neck, which concerns many pregnant women who fear it may cause fetal hypoxia in utero or affect natural childbirth. However, this concern is not accurate. Currently, in clinical practice, an umbilical cord around the neck is considered a normal physiological phenomenon. Around 30%-40% of fetuses may have the umbilical cord wrapped around their neck. It is acceptable for the umbilical cord to be wrapped around the neck once or twice, as this neither impacts the fetus's oxygen levels nor affects the mode of childbirth; natural birth can still be considered. Therefore, when the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck once, no intervention is required. Follow the normal prenatal check-up routine and pay attention to fetal movements in daily life. As long as the fetal movements are normal, it indicates that the fetal condition in the uterus is good.