CORD COIL or

NUCHAL CORD
 Umbilical cord
Cord 53 cm/21 inches, formed from chorion and 
amnion
Vein – carries blood from placnta to fetus 
Arteries – fetus to placenta 
ml / min blood flow 350 
Lined wd smooth muscles, arteries n vein contract 
after birth, compressed to prevent hemorrhage
No nerve supply it is clamped n cut w/out 
discomfort to fetus or mother
Nuchal Cord- cord around the fetal neck.
• Nuchal cord is present in one-fourth of
pregnancies but generally doesn’t has major
clinical significance.
• The presence of two or more loops is
estimated to affect between 2.5% to 8.3% of all
pregnancies.
• Single loop of nuchal cord usually does not
compromise fetal well-being, and does not
.alter standard mgt
Multiple nuchal cords, especially •
four or more loops, demand special
care due to the risk of intermittent
.cord compression
Pathogenesis of Nuchal Cords •
• Unclear
• It appears that fetal movements may
result in the formation of nuchal cords.
• Excessive fetal movement and long
umbilical cords - are prone to
entanglement.
• Does not explain why some fetuses
.develop nuchal cords and others do not
Incidence of Nuchal Cords
• Frequency of nuchal cords increases with
advancing gestational age (from 5.8% to
29.0% between 20 and 42 weeks’ gestation,
respectively).
• Ranges between 15.8% and 30%.
• Single, double, triple loops; at 21.7%, 1.7%,
and 0.3% (J Fam Prac 1992).
.• Nuchal cords may reduce spontaneously
Perinatal Outcome
• Unclear whether or not nuchal cords are
associated with increased adverse perinatal
outcome.
• Associated with neonatal shock and anemia.
• Increased incidence of intrapartum “fetal
distress”.
• Fetuses with nuchal cords were associated with a
significantly increased prevalence of variable
decelerations of the FHR versus matched controls
in both the first and second stages of labor