What causes umbilical cord abnormalities?

Umbilical cord conditions include the cord being too long or too short, not connecting well to the placenta or getting knotted or squeezed. These conditions can cause problems during pregnancy, labor and birth.

What is the most common problem with umbilical cord abnormalities?

Most Common Umbilical Cord Problems True knots. Umbilical cord prolapse. Short umbilical cords. Vasa previa.

What are the abnormalities of the cord?

Using ultrasound, we can depict various congenital abnormalities of the umbilical cord, including cysts, pseudocysts, umbilical vein varix, persistent right umbilical vein, angiomyxomas, aneurysm, single umbilical artery (SUA), velamentous insertion, and teratomas.

What does an abnormal umbilical cord mean?

A number of abnormalities can affect the umbilical cord. The cord may be too long or too short. It may connect improperly to the placenta or become knotted or compressed. Cord abnormalities can lead to problems during pregnancy or during labor and delivery.

What happens if the umbilical cord is damaged?

Umbilical cord problems can cause birth asphyxia (dangerous oxygen deprivation), which can in turn lead to birth injuries such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

How do you know if the umbilical cord is infected?

While slight bleeding is normal and usually nothing to be concerned about, signs of infection may include:

1. red, swollen, warm, or tender skin around the cord.
2. pus (a yellow-greenish liquid) oozing from the skin around the cord.
3. a bad smell coming from the cord.
4. fever.
5. a fussy, uncomfortable, or very sleepy baby.

When should I worry about the umbilical cord?

Signs of a problem Much like a scab, the cord stump might bleed a little when it falls off. However, contact your baby’s doctor if the umbilical area oozes pus, the surrounding skin becomes red and swollen, or the area develops a pink moist bump. These could be signs of an umbilical cord infection.

Can marginal cord insertion cause birth defects?

Complications from Marginal Cord Insertion Reduced fetal blood flow can cause intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and other developmental abnormalities in the fetus. Marginal cord insertion (and the secondary conditions it can lead to such as IUGR) can potentially result in premature birth.

At what week do most stillbirths occur?

What is Stillbirth?

• An early stillbirth is a fetal death occurring between 20 and 27 completed weeks of pregnancy.
• A late stillbirth occurs between 28 and 36 completed pregnancy weeks.
• A term stillbirth occurs between 37 or more completed pregnancy weeks..

How is an infected umbilical cord treated?

For minor infections, your child’s doctor may recommend applying an antibiotic ointment a few times a day on the skin surrounding the cord. An example of a minor infection is if there’s a small amount of pus, but your child otherwise seems fine.