Plenty of room for the child
Due to its length and spiral structure, the umbilical cord allows the unborn child to twist and turn in the uterus as it pleases. There is even enough room for somersaults, and even if the umbilical cord wraps around the baby’s neck, the normal blood supply is maintained.
In around 70 percent of all births, the umbilical cord is not a problem. In the remaining cases, for example, the umbilical cord becomes entwined.
Umbilical cord looping
In an umbilical cord loop, the spiral-shaped connection between the placenta and the unborn child is wrapped around the baby’s neck at the time of birth. This happens in around 20 to 30 percent of all births. In this case, the attending physician will first cut the umbilical cord at birth and then deliver the child so that the child does not suffer from a lack of blood supply due to the pinched vessels. If a circulatory disorder is already present during the expulsion phase of the birth, the delivery must be accelerated. This can be done with the help of a suction cup (vacuum extraction) or by caesarean section.
Umbilical cord nodes
However, if this is the case – for example, because the umbilical cord is too short or the umbilical cords of twins become entangled – your doctor will monitor the baby/children closely using a contraction monitor (CTG). This is necessary in around one percent of pregnancies.
A false umbilical cord knot is a ball of blood vessels in the umbilical cord that only looks like a knot but is not actually one and does not cause any symptoms.
Umbilical cord prolapse
If a premature rupture of the membranes occurs and the umbilical cord lies in front of the preceding part of the baby, this is known as an umbilical cord prolapse. Such an event occurs in 0.3 to 0.5 percent of all births. Multiple pregnancies and cases in which the baby is in a transverse, oblique or foetal position are most frequently affected.
If the umbilical cord is trapped between the baby’s head and the mother’s birth canal during the expulsion period, the baby is not supplied with enough oxygen: It no longer gets enough oxygen. In such a case, an emergency caesarean section must be performed immediately. In the event of premature rupture of the membranes, you should therefore inform your doctor and be taken to the hospital lying down, possibly by ambulance.
Oxygen deficiency in the child
Whether it’s an entanglement, knot or prolapse: all three complications carry the risk of an oxygen deficiency in the unborn child. If this persists for a long time, the child may suffer brain damage or even die. Any abnormal findings will therefore be closely checked by your doctor and monitored by CTG. If your baby is lying in an unfavorable position, an external turn may also be attempted to prevent pressure on the umbilical cord and thus ensure normal blood circulation and oxygen supply to your baby.
