Umbilical cord prolapse

In the final weeks of pregnancy, you may start to worry more about the well-being of your unborn baby. To ensure your baby's health, it's always important to see a doctor regularly, as they can tell you about problems you may not be aware of, including cord prolapse.

One problem your doctor may have is if your baby's umbilical cord is compressed. Cord compression occurs when pressure is applied to the umbilical cord.

This compression of the umbilical cord can occur during pregnancy or during childbirth. Cord compression occurs in about 1 in 10 births. Most compressions occur during childbirth, and most are mild and not cause for concern.

Although cord compression is more common during labor, it can still happen later in pregnancy when your baby starts to move more vigorously. During pregnancy and childbirth, many babies experience very mild intermittent contractions that are harmless.

However, there are times when cord compression can be stronger and last longer. While the umbilical cord allows vital nutrients and oxygen to be transferred from your baby to the placenta, when there is a strong contraction that lasts longer, it results in a decrease in the flow of oxygen and blood to your baby.

Compression can also cause your child's heart rate to change.

Why is a prolapsed umbilical cord dangerous?

When your child's heart rate changes as a result of compression, complications such as variable deceleration can result. Variable deceleration includes a decrease in your child's heart rate; the heart rate must be less than 115 beats per minute and last more than 15 seconds but less than 10 minutes.

Compression of the umbilical cord can cause changes in your baby's blood pressure due to changes in heart rate and lack of oxygen. During cord compression, the veins in the cord are compressed, causing CO2 (carbon dioxide) to build up in your baby's blood, causing respiratory acidosis.

If the umbilical cord is compressed during pregnancy or childbirth, the risk of injury is determined by how long the umbilical cord has been compressed. When the umbilical cord is compressed for an extended period of time, the flow of blood and oxygen to your baby's brain is reduced.

This can put your child at risk of brain damage. Cord compression can also lead to short episodes of fetal hypoxia, in which the baby is deprived of oxygen in the womb, which can lead to other health complications, including death. This is rare and your doctor will monitor this.

What can cause umbilical cord prolapse?

During childbirth, the umbilical cord is stretched and squeezed, which leads to compression of the umbilical cord. During pregnancy, your baby's hyperactivity can, in rare cases, cause compression of the umbilical cord. Another reason is premature premature rupture of the membranes.

Premature preterm rupture of the membranes includes the rupture of the membranes of the unborn child before labor begins. With premature rupture of the membranes before 32 weeks of gestation, umbilical cord compression occurs in 32-76% of cases. Another possible cause of cord clamping is cord prolapse, in which the cord descends into the birth canal before the baby does during labor.

How do you know if the umbilical cord has prolapsed?

Cord compression can be diagnosed before delivery by one of two examining physicians; either fetal doppler or ultrasound. Unfortunately, there are no visible signs of umbilical cord compression that could be seen without the help of a doctor.

Treatment of a prolapsed umbilical cord

Amnioinfusion is one of the main treatments for cord compression. Amnioinfusion is the process of infusing room temperature saline into the uterus during labor to relieve pressure that could potentially compress the umbilical cord.

When cord compression is mild, the treatment is to increase the mother's oxygen supply to increase blood flow through the cord. In more severe cases of umbilical cord compression, your unborn child should be monitored by a doctor at all times to assess for any signs of distress, in which case emergency measures should be taken.

If your child is showing signs of distress, or if your child's heartbeat suddenly shows signs of short heartbeats, a caesarean section may be necessary to ensure your child's health.