A small percentage (about 1%) of babies are born with one or more knots in the umbilical cord. Some of these knots  form during pregnancy as the baby moves around. Others form during delivery. These knots are rarely found during ultrasounds. They are usually discovered after delivery.

Babies  with long umbilical cords are at  risk and so are identical twins. Identical twins share the same amniotic sac and the cords can be entangled.

What are the dangers of umbilical cord knots ?

This generally does not hurt the baby as long as the knot remains loose. However sometimes the knots can be pulled tight  and cut off the baby’s oxygen supply.Umbilical cord knots result in miscarriages or stillbirth in 5%  of cases.

During labor and delivery, umbilical cord knots can tighten  and cause the baby to have heart rate abnormalities  that are detected by fecal monitoring . A cesarean delivery may be necessary in some cases.

NOTE

It is important to monitor fetal activity during late pregnancy . Doing regular kick counts  is essential during the latter stages of pregnancy. If you detect anything  unusual about fetal activity, contact your health care provider right away.

 
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