Maternal and fetal outcome of pregnancies with umbilical cord problems

ABSTRACT

To seek relationship between cord problems [like long cords, short cords, nuchal cord and cord knots] and its effects on fetus as well as mode of delivery. Descriptive [case series] Obs/Gynae wards Railway hospital, Rawalpindi from September 2006 to August 2007. It was a descriptive case series study. Hundred patients with umbilical cord problems, detected at delivery were included.Effects of these cord problems on mode of delivery and fetal outcome were observed. Twenty two percent patients had long cord, 14% had short cords.41% had single nuchal cord, 22% had double loop of cord around the neck, and 4% patients had triple loops of Nuchal cord. It was observed that 4% patients were having true kanots in umbilical cord and and only 26% patients had false knots in umbilical cord. In the patients with cord problems, rate of SVD was more than 70% and LSCS < 20%. These problems did not show significant effects on birth weight and Apgar scores when present alone.But multiple cord problems in a single pregnancy were associated with fetal complications. Long and short umbilical cords, umbilical cord knots and Nuchal cords had no significant effects on mode of delivery and Apgar score in 5 minutes. But multiple umbilical cord problems in same case may pose problems to the fetus and early diagnosis can prevent fetal harm