Nuchal cord and perinatal outcome

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Perinatal Medicine
• Neonatal Outcomes

Background:

• Nuchal cord, the umbilical cord encircling the fetal neck, is a common intrapartum finding.
• The clinical significance and impact on perinatal outcomes remain a subject of ongoing research.
• Understanding the incidence and associated complications is crucial for effective obstetric management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of nuchal cord at delivery.
• To investigate intrapartum complications associated with nuchal cord.
• To evaluate perinatal outcomes in neonates with nuchal cord compared to those without.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted.
• 512 deliveries were analyzed for the presence and characteristics of nuchal cords.
• Outcomes included meconium staining, delivery modes, fetal heart rate irregularities, Apgar scores, and neonatal unit admission.

Main Results:

• The incidence of nuchal cord was 22.85%, with single nuchal cords being most frequent.
• While intrapartum complications like fetal heart rate irregularities and meconium staining were higher in the nuchal cord group, they were not statistically significant.
• Apgar scores below 7 at 1 minute were significantly lower in the nuchal cord group (p=0.010).

Conclusions:

• Nuchal cord presence did not significantly increase the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes.
• Cesarean section rates were unexpectedly higher in the group without nuchal cords (p=0.029).
• Further research may be warranted to explore the nuances of nuchal cord management.