Cord Knots During Pregnancy
The term “true knot of the umbilical cord” (TKUC) refers to the formation of a knot during pregnancy, while “false knot” describes a bulge in the cord resulting from excessive Wharton’s jelly or looping of cord vessels. True umbilical cord knots are significant as they can lead to various negative perinatal outcomes, such as small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses, low Apgar scores at birth, fetal hypoxia, and even fetal death.
Given that the umbilical cord is the source of fetal blood supply, any defect in the cord can profoundly impact fetal well-being. Factors like increased cord length, polyhydramnios, male gender, amniocentesis, monoamniotic twins, grand multiparity, and small fetuses can predispose to TKUC. The risk of fetal death from TKUC is up to four times higher than that from other causes, exerting a broad spectrum of adverse effects on both pregnancy and labor.
What are umbilical cord knots?
A cord knot is precisely what the term implies — a knot in the baby’s umbilical cord. Some knots develop during pregnancy as the baby moves and rotates within the amniotic sac, while others may form during delivery.
Wharton’s jelly, a substance that surrounds the crucial blood vessels of the cord, acts as a cushion, providing protection even if the cord becomes knotted. This implies that the chances are favorable for a “true” tight knot not to occur.
As long as the knot remains loose, it poses no harm to the baby. However, if the knot tightens, it has the potential to impede the circulation of blood from the placenta to the baby, leading to oxygen deprivation. Such a complication is more likely to occur during the baby’s descent through the birth canal, although such cases are rare. For more details click on following link