What You Need to Know About Umbilical Cord Conditions

During pregnancy, the umbilical cord delivers vital nutrients and oxygen to your baby. It has one vein and two arteries. A protective jelly called Wharton’s jelly covers the cord. After your baby is born, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The umbilical cord blood of newborn babies contains stem cells. If preserved, these stem cells can be used to treat 80+ diseases including cancer, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s diseases, thalassemia, and brain disorders. Taking care of the umbilical cord is important throughout pregnancy and even after birth. Some umbilical cord conditions can affect your baby.

Throughout your pregnancy, your doctor will look at the condition of the umbilical cord during the ultrasound scan. Some common umbilical cord conditions include:

Umbilical Cord Compression

When the blood flow pressure inside the cord stops completely or partially, it can cause umbilical cord compression. Babies can survive a short period of compression. However, prolonged compression can cause serious birth defects.

Nuchal Cord

When the umbilical cord gets wrapped around the baby’s neck, it is known as the nuchal cord. A nuchal cord is a common condition that occurs in almost 35% of pregnancies. Usually, the nuchal cord gets untangled on its own. However, if not, then your doctor may do a C-section delivery. A nuchal cord getting tightly noosed around the baby’s neck during the vaginal delivery can cause serious birth injuries such as asphyxiation, HIE, and even cerebral palsy.

Umbilical Cord Prolapse

During delivery, the umbilical cord should get delivered after the baby. However, if the umbilical cord is delivered before the baby or along with the baby, it is known as umbilical cord prolapse. This is a serious condition that can cause birth injuries.

Vasa Previa

This is a comparatively rare condition. This happens when the fetal blood vessels attach near the cervix. In this situation, there is a risk of blood vessel rupture during delivery. This can cause birth injuries and even can turn fatal.

Umbilical Cord Infection

Infection of the umbilical cord is called funisitis. This can cause cerebral palsy, FIRS, preterm birth, and neonatal sepsis. Antibiotics can prevent any major damage.

Careful monitoring of the umbilical cord throughout the pregnancy can prevent serious umbilical cord conditions. In most cases, to avoid any severe birth injury, your doctor will go for a C-section delivery.