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Nuchal cord entanglements and gestational age
J D Larson1, W F Rayburn, V L Harlan
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, USA.
American Journal of Perinatology
|December 12, 1997
Summary
Nuchal cord entanglement, where the umbilical cord wraps around the fetus's neck, increases with gestational age. This common finding does not elevate the risk of stillbirth, providing valuable reference data.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics
- Perinatology
- Fetal Development
Background:
- Nuchal cord entanglement is a common finding during pregnancy.
- Understanding the incidence of nuchal cords relative to gestational age is crucial for clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between nuchal cord entanglements and gestational age.
- To establish normative data for nuchal cord entanglement frequencies throughout gestation.
Main Methods:
- Observational study utilizing a hospital's perinatal database (1990-1994).
- Analysis of 13,895 singleton deliveries from 20 weeks' gestation onwards.
- Statistical analysis included Cochran-Mantel test for trend and Chi-square testing.
Main Results:
- Nuchal cord entanglement incidence significantly increased from 5.8% at 20 weeks to 29.0% at 42 weeks' gestation.
- Entanglement frequencies showed a linear increase with advancing gestational age for both single and multiple loops.
- No increased risk of antepartum stillbirth was observed in the presence of nuchal cord entanglement, even after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Normative data on nuchal cord entanglement incidence by gestational age have been established.
- These findings can serve as a reference for prenatal ultrasound examinations.
- The data support further prospective studies on the prenatal predictive value of reporting nuchal cords.