The prognostic value of the nuchal cord prenatal diagnosis

Abstract

We aimed to verify if using the abdominal mode of delivery for all the cases of ante-partum diagnosed umbilical cord loops, the after birth results for the newborns may be improved. We compared the obstetrical results for two groups of births: 344 cases of vaginal delivery and diagnosis of a nuchal cord made during expulsion and 48 births with an ultrasound ante-partum diagnosis of nuchal cord and who delivered by cesarean section. All were singleton term pregnancies, cephalic presentation, and with no other significant pathology associated. There were no significant differences as for the obstetrical results between the group with a prenatal diagnosis of umbilical cord loop who delivered by cesarean section and the group with an after birth diagnosis of umbilical cord loop and who delivered by vaginal way. We conclude that the ante-partum ultrasound diagnosis of nuchal cords is not by itself an indication for a cesarean section delivery.