Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Umbilical cord around fetal neck (nuchal cord) is quite common finding, it is often assumed that it might cause cord compression and thus low fetal weight, oligohydramnios and intrapartum complication.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine effect of the nuchal cord on amniotic fluid index (AFI) and fetal weight.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Two hundred full term pregnant women were enrolled in this study. By using color Doppler ultrasound to detect the presence of nuchal cord, trans abdominal altrasound to detect AFI and fetal weight were estimated according hadlock equation, half of them were with nuchal cord (study group) and the remaining were without nuchal cord (control group).
RESULTS:
Descriptive statistics of studied groups revealed no statistically significant difference in mean maternal age, gestational age and obstetrical history between study group and control group. Loose nuchal cord was the dominant type reported in 90% of the patients and 71.6% having only single loop, while multiple loops were seen in 28.4% of study group.
A significant association was found between reduced AFI level and presence of cord around fetal neck and the mean estimated fetal weight was significantly lower in nuchal cord group 3068.9 ± 489.6 g compared to non-nuchal cord group 3208.5±331.5g, p < 0.05.
CONCLUSION:
Cord around fetal neck is associated with higher incidence of low fetal weight, low AFI which in turn increase risk for adverse perinatal outcome such as fetal distress that needs an urgent cesarean section.
Keywords
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