Definition
An umbilical cord wrap, as the umbilical cord around the neck is called in technical terminology, means that the umbilical cord has wrapped itself once or several times around a part of the child’s body, for example the neck. This happens with every third to fifth birth and does not automatically mean a danger for the unborn child. Only if the umbilical cord is too much under tension or is squeezed off is there a danger. A very long umbilical cord and too much amniotic fluid favour the wrapping of the umbilical cord, since the unborn child has more freedom of movement.
Causes
The umbilical cord is a system well protected by jelly-like tissue that supplies the unborn child with oxygen and nutrients. However, the umbilical cord is also a kind of toy for the unborn child, and particularly active children turn in their stomachs and play with the umbilical cord. During these rotations, the umbilical cord can wrap itself around parts of the child’s body.
The longer the umbilical cord, the more likely it is to be wrapped. A normal umbilical cord has a length of about 60 cm at the time of birth. An excessive amount of amniotic fluid, the so-called polyhydramnion, also leads to more wrapping because the child has more room to move.
Especially the rotation from the breech position to the low position of the head in late pregnancy is often accompanied by an embrace. In some cases, however, such a rotation also causes the wrap to be wiped off. In the case of a known wrap, a tighter monitoring of the child’s circulation may be necessary in the birth phase.
How often does the umbilical cord wrap itself around the neck?
Umbilical cord wrapping is much more common than many people believe, since only the complications are reported. Every third to fifth child has an umbilical cord wrap at birth, but only a fraction of these children experience circulatory events and even less often permanent damage. During pregnancy, the umbilical cord can always rearrange itself differently and does not normally lead to complications. Only in rare cases does a tight wrapping of the umbilical cord occur early in the pregnancy, which then often means the death of the fetus.
