Severe antenatal strangulation and sudden fetal death occurs in term: case report

The authors report a case of a sudden antenatal death, by severe strangulation, unlikely related in a term pregnancy; multiple loops of nuchal umbilical cord (UC) (ten), rarely describe in literature, were observed around the fetal neck. The in utero fetal death (IFD) was suspected by the non-attendance of fetal movements and confirmed by US scan. The tight nuchal cord around the neck (tCAN) diagnostic was made during caesarean delivery, as it was not discovered in pregnancy US scan monitoring nor in the US scan made in emergency. The newborn examination shows severe fetal strangulation by the presence of many spires of a too long UC (1.50 m). Autopsy was not been accepted by the family. Through this reported case the authors wanted to show the difficulties of its diagnosis in less developed Sub-Saharan country were US scan practice is not usual.