Cord Around Baby's Neck In Ultrasound

[Anonymous]

I am so worried about this! My SIL went on Friday to have a 3-D ultrasound done. The baby was very cooperative (and cute If I may say!) She even smiled for the camera. But- the umbilical cord is around her neck!! The tech did not seem worried- but she is not there for medical advice just for fun (we went to one of those non-medical 3-d/4-d places) and could not really tell us much. I told her to mention it to her doctor at her appt this week - or better yet call ASAP. I am not sure they cannot do a thing about it. Has anyone seen the cord around their baby's neck during an ultrasound? If so- what were you told about it?

[Anonymous]

Many babies are born naturally with cords around their necks - the person delivering just quietly unwraps the cord and lets the baby continue. Unless the cord is really short or gets compressed somehow, it should be perfectly safe. Obviously your SIL needs to discuss it with her provider and see what they think.

Here's a post that references an interesting study: http://alternativebirthservices.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-cord-around-babys-neck-really.html

[Anonymous]

I had tons of concern about cord being around baby's neck due to a family friend with CP, and I was told that cords get wrapped around necks very early in the second trimester - when they have tons of room to flip-flop around. The OB who delivered my son said that it is actually very, very common. FWIW- my very healthy and able DH had the cord wrapped around his neck twice.

[Anonymous]

It's great that her provider will know about it and be aware. Our dd had it wrapped 3 times, but our fabulous OB figured it out during the c-section (even though our ultrasound tech told dh he was wrong when he thought he saw that) and everything went smoothly.

[Anonymous]

My baby was delivered vaginally, "sunny side up" and with the cord wrapped around his neck. My ob just slipped it off (at least that's what my husband said - I didn't have a very good view!). My son is absolutely fine!

[Anonymous]

Just check with the doc. for a credible diagnosis. It could've just been the angle.

The doc. can usually interpret what is going on inside the womb by the heart beat and can usually tell if there is fetal distress by the beat number.

Plus, so long as the baby is growing (again, the doc. can check by measuring the uterus) and your SIL continues to feel "regular" movements there is nothing to worry about.

[Anonymous]

Very common. DS was also "sunny side up" with cord wrapped around his neck twice. It ws really tight and the OB had to cut it but he ended up fine.

[Anonymous]

With my first baby, the cord was wrapped around her neck 3 times and when she was finally delivered, the OB had to deliver her head, cut the cord (it was wrapped too tight to slip off), and then deliver the rest of her. Despite that, she is and was fine and her heart rate did not decelerate during labor.

I do think it made my labor last much longer though. The baby did not descend and they weren't sure why (the cord issue did not become apparent until delivery). I pushed for nearly 4 hours and eventually needed vacuum extraction to deliver her. The OB said that if her heart rate had ever decelerated during the pushing stage, they would have done a C-section, but since she was tolerating the labor well and I wanted to continue, I kept pushing.

[Anonymous]

Something like 1/3 babies are born with nuchal cords -- unlikely to cause a problem.

[Anonymous]

My baby was delivered vaginally, "sunny side up" and with the cord wrapped around his neck. My ob just slipped it off (at least that's what my husband said - I didn't have a very good view!). My son is absolutely fine!

EXACT same thing happened to me. DS came out face up with the cord wrapped around his neck 2x; my OB just gently slipped it off & didn't even really comment on it. My baby is now 5 yrs old and perfect.

Of course, I did not know the cord was around his neck until he was delivered. If I knew in advance, I'm sure I'd have worried! Your SIL should definitely mention it to her doctor, but I think it is quite common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With my first baby, the cord was wrapped around her neck 3 times and when she was finally delivered, the OB had to deliver her head, cut the cord (it was wrapped too tight to slip off), and then deliver the rest of her. Despite that, she is and was fine and her heart rate did not decelerate during labor.

I do think it made my labor last much longer though. The baby did not descend and they weren't sure why (the cord issue did not become apparent until delivery). I pushed for nearly 4 hours and eventually needed vacuum extraction to deliver her. The OB said that if her heart rate had ever decelerated during the pushing stage, they would have done a C-section, but since she was tolerating the labor well and I wanted to continue, I kept pushing.

You said first baby. Was this an issue with your second? I ask because I had this very similar experience, except the cord wasn't wrapped three tmes but so tightly, the OB could not unloop it. I no idea prior to delivery how potentially serious it could be to cut the cord and then deliver the rest of the baby. Anyway, my baby #2 is due in a few weeks and this is really starting to bother me again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With my first baby, the cord was wrapped around her neck 3 times and when she was finally delivered, the OB had to deliver her head, cut the cord (it was wrapped too tight to slip off), and then deliver the rest of her. Despite that, she is and was fine and her heart rate did not decelerate during labor.

I do think it made my labor last much longer though. The baby did not descend and they weren't sure why (the cord issue did not become apparent until delivery). I pushed for nearly 4 hours and eventually needed vacuum extraction to deliver her. The OB said that if her heart rate had ever decelerated during the pushing stage, they would have done a C-section, but since she was tolerating the labor well and I wanted to continue, I kept pushing.

You said first baby. Was this an issue with your second? I ask because I had this very similar experience, except the cord wasn't wrapped three tmes but so tightly, the OB could not unloop it. I no idea prior to delivery how potentially serious it could be to cut the cord and then deliver the rest of the baby. Anyway, my baby #2 is due in a few weeks and this is really starting to bother me again.

I just delivered my second and I was also really scared of this happening again, especially since, once again during labor, the baby did not descend well. In the end, baby #2 did not have the cord wrapped around her neck at all and she came out in 3 pushes versus almost 4 hours of pushing

[Anonymous]

This is extremely common. I had a high risk pregnancy and so had lots of u/s--an u/s every 2-3 weeks during the second trimester and every week during the third, basically. I saw the cord around DS' neck several times so I had a discussion with the doc about it. Doc reassured that it happens all the time, it's normal, and very rarely causes problems. With blood pulsing in the cord, the cord is actually somewhat stiff, so it's not like rope that's going to get super duper tight easily. During the third trimester I saw DS messing with his cord a lot--he grabbed it, put it in his MOUTH! All kinds of things to freak me out! And we had a cord insertion defect so I was a nervous wreck that he would going to yank the cord out of the placenta, etc.! Everything was fine.

With u/s becoming so common, we just see all of these things that happen that seem scary but are mostly normal. I saw a lot of things I wish I hadn't! LOL

[Anonymous]

This is only a potential problem during delivery (if the cord get compressed and limits the flow of oxygen).

[Anonymous]

When pregnant with #1 I saw a video of a natural childbirth with a midwife and during the delivery the midwife just unwrapped the cord and delivered the baby. Seemed like a perfectly normal thing to her her. When I finally delivered #1 the cord was around her neck twice and my OB just unwrapped her and all was fine. I guess it just seems scary when it's not something you've experienced or have heard much about. I'm sure all will be fine.