It is so inherent in nature that the close relationship of the child with the mother begins in the womb. Through the umbilical cord, the baby receives nutrients, oxygen. Decay products and carbon dioxide are discharged along the arteries of the umbilical cord. Sometimes the baby behaves so actively that it literally "gets entangled" in the umbilical cord. And then it forms loops that can wrap around the neck or other parts of the body one or more times. It is important and interesting to know why the umbilical cord entwining occurs, how to avoid this, and what to do if a problem has already arisen.
Umbilical cord entanglement : what is it?
Umbilical cord entanglement is a fairly common pathology that obstetrician-gynecologists diagnose in the last stages of pregnancy. Often, the baby itself "solves" the problem and gets out of the umbilical cord, but in some cases the help of an obstetrician is needed. How and why the cord is entangled, every pregnant woman should know the causes of this pathology. In some cases, the onset of pathology is provoked by a future mother, so she is obliged to monitor her health and well-being.
Reasons for the development of pathology
According to statistics, 20% of pregnancies are accompanied by the entwining of the baby with an umbilical cord. It is important for the expectant mother to know the reasons for entwining the umbilical cord of the fetus and, if possible, to avoid the effects of provoking factors. There are folk signs that say that you can’t sew, knit, weave or actively engage in gymnastics during pregnancy. Believe it or not is the business of every future mother, but we must remember that these are just fictions of our ancestors.
Gynecologists, obstetricians, call the factors that cause the development of deviations. The entanglement of the umbilical cord can lead to:
- fetal hypoxia ;
- stress and overwork;
- polyhydramnios;
- poor nutrition of the mother;
- long umbilical cord.
When registering for a antenatal clinic and for nine months, doctors identify the risks of various pathologies and strictly monitor the health of the mother and fetus. If a woman is at risk, then she needs to regularly visit an obstetrician and follow all his instructions.
Among other pathologies during pregnancy, one of the most common is cord entanglement. The reasons, provoking factors are well studied and doctors successfully take such birth.
How does fetal entanglement occur?
The most common cause of entangling the umbilical cord becomes hyperactivity of the baby. The child may not have enough oxygen, nutrients and substances and he actively moves in the womb in the "search for food." If the expectant mother is abusing coffee, black tea, alcohol, cigarettes, then the child needs more oxygen, which he is trying to get. Frequent stresses lead to increased levels of adrenaline in the blood of both the mother and the child, which causes the baby to become active.
With polyhydramnios, the child has too much room for movement, so he can so easily get entangled in the umbilical cord and even tighten her loops more tightly. A long umbilical cord can also become much more tangled and form dangerous loops on the baby’s neck and body.
Umbilical cord around the neck
The most dangerous to the health of the fetus is the entanglement of the umbilical cord around the neck. In this case, during childbirth, the loop can be delayed and lead to dire consequences. Modern medicine has reached such a level that this pathology is successfully treated and the child is born completely healthy. It is important for future mothers to regularly undergo all examinations, conduct ultrasound diagnostics and be under the supervision of a doctor.
Single cord entanglement
The most “simple” is a single entanglement of the umbilical cord - one loop is formed on the child’s neck, from which the baby often “gets out” on its own. During childbirth, a single entanglement is easy to loosen and remove. This type of pathology is most common and rarely brings problems to the woman in childbirth and the child.
Multiple cord entanglement
The entanglement, in which two or more loops are formed on the baby’s neck, is called multiple. Most often, doctors fix a double entanglement, but there may be three or even four loops of the umbilical cord. This type of pathology is more difficult to correct for doctors during natural childbirth, therefore, a cesarean section is performed.
The consequences of entwining the umbilical cord
The entanglement of the umbilical cord around the neck leads to the fact that the fetus often experiences oxygen starvation, it appears microtrauma of the cervical vertebrae. In the future, a child born with an entwine is subject to frequent and severe headaches, fatigue, and hypertension. There are also problems with intrauterine development and the nutrition of the fetus: a pinched umbilical cord conducts less nutrients and worse discharges exhaust carbon dioxide.
Such children are prescribed special treatment, which consists of massage, physiotherapy, and medication. It is important to seek the help of a pediatrician, a neurologist in time and start treatment, then the chances of a full recovery increase.
The entanglement around other parts of the body is less common and carries less risk to the fetus. More often the legs are entwined, less often the child's handles. In this case, the baby is even easier to get out, so it is rarely possible to fix the cord entanglement on ultrasound diagnostics. The reasons for the “hug” are the same as those listed above.
The most dangerous is the entanglement of the umbilical cord around the neck. The consequences of this pathology can remain with the child for life and lead to many serious diseases: hypertension, migraine, dropsy of the brain, osteochondrosis, mental retardation.
Obstetric care for entrapment
In the vast majority of cases, pregnancy with cord entrapment ends successfully, and childbirth occurs naturally. Childbirth in such women proceeds without complications, the child and mom feel good and, like others, are discharged home after a few days. The only difference is that during delivery, the woman in labor is under intensive medical supervision using Doppler or ultrasound equipment.
After the birth of the fetal head, the obstetrician manually releases the baby’s neck from the umbilical cord and childbirth continues. Only with a tight or multiple entanglement already in the process of childbirth or in advance a cesarean section is selected. In some cases, this is the only way to give birth to a healthy baby and avoid problems in the future.
It is important for a pregnant woman to take care of the health of the unborn baby. It will be useful for a future mother to know about how the entanglement of the umbilical cord occurs, the causes and consequences of this pathology. It does not matter how the birth took place. It is important that the baby is born healthy, and mom has the strength to care for her newborn.