Umbilical cord around the neck: should you worry?

During pregnancy, the various exams performed make it possible to quickly identify certain potential problems. During an ultrasound, the practitioner may notice that the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck. Don’t panic if this happens to you: this phenomenon is common and most often harmless. But what really happens when the umbilical cord wraps around your fetus’s neck in the uterus?

Umbilical cord around the neck: let’s take a closer look.

Umbilical cord around the neck: what is it?

In the uterus, your baby’s umbilical cord may wrap around their neck. This phenomenon occurs naturally during pregnancy, as the future baby moves in the uterine cavity filled with amniotic fluid.

The cord, which connects the placenta to the fetus’s abdomen, is flexible and generally measures between 50 and 60 cm at term. It contains three essential blood vessels: two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein, which ensure the exchange of nutrients, oxygen, and waste between your baby and you through placental circulation. The umbilical cord wrapping around your baby’s neck generally occurs when they move, especially in the last months of pregnancy, while amniotic fluid is still abundant and the baby has enough room to move.

The cord sometimes wraps around other parts of the body, such as the arms, legs, or trunk. This phenomenon is sometimes detected during an ultrasound, but it remains without consequence, and it is not something specifically looked for during an ultrasound. In most cases, no particular intervention is required; the umbilical cord will simply be released or cut by the midwife after birth.

Umbilical cord around the neck: what are the risk factors?

An umbilical cord around the neck is a relatively common phenomenon. There may be one or more loops, referred to as a single or multiple nuchal cord. The majority of newborns have no impact on their health. It is important to remember that this phenomenon is not linked to poor posture during pregnancy, nor to any particular action on your part, and even less to a problem related to your baby.

Sometimes it is simply linked to a long cord or to the baby’s movements. Rest assured, maternity teams, made up of midwives and doctors, are trained to recognize and manage this situation during childbirth, whether it is a vaginal birth or a cesarean section.

Want to learn more? Feel free to download the May app, where you’ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your pregnancy.

The consequences of an umbilical cord around the neck for the baby during childbirth

During childbirth, the presence of an umbilical cord around the neck is well managed by the midwife. Sometimes, if the cord is too tight, the newborn’s color may be affected, but this resolves quickly. There may also be a few temporary physical marks: sometimes a slight red mark may appear, but it disappears quickly and is not a cause for concern.

Good to know: an umbilical cord around the neck does not prevent your baby from breathing in your belly, because your baby receives oxygen directly through the cord, not through the mouth.

What care is provided during childbirth in case of an umbilical cord around the neck?

As soon as the newborn’s head appears, the midwife systematically checks whether the umbilical cord is around the baby’s neck. This check is a professional reflex, and several situations are possible:

• A loose cord around the neck: the midwife gently slides a finger between the umbilical cord and the skin of your baby’s neck, then passes it over the head before the body is fully delivered. This maneuver is quick and painless for the newborn.
• A tight cord or one preventing delivery: if the umbilical cord is taut, it may be necessary to cut the cord before the baby is fully born. To do this, the team uses two clamps to prevent any bleeding and cuts the umbilical cord between them, thereby ensuring the safety of the baby’s blood vessels.
• Cesarean birth: during a cesarean section, the same check is performed as soon as the baby is delivered. The team then closely monitors the newborn’s breathing and adaptation.

Please note: if your baby is born with the umbilical cord around their neck, only healthcare professionals are authorized to cut the cord, as the procedure can be delicate.

In conclusion, the umbilical cord wrapping around the baby’s neck is a common phenomenon in utero and during childbirth, but rest assured: it generally has no serious consequences for your baby.

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Photo credits: OlgaSmolina | Lobachad | inshyna

This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.