Complications with the Umbilical Cord
The umbilical cord, or the bundle of fibers and blood vessels that provides a fetus with nutrients while in the womb, is one of the most important elements involved in healthy embryonic development and a safe birth. Unfortunately, there are a number of things that can go wrong with an umbilical cord both in utero and during delivery. While some of these complications are non-life-threatening, others pose a serious threat to an infant’s survival.
Common Issues
A few of the more common issues involving the umbilical cord include:
- Knots: The umbilical cord is subject to knots of both a “false” and “true” variety. False knots are those found within the material of the cord itself, such as a build-up of fibrous tissue, and are generally not dangerous in any way. However, true knots, or kinks in shape of the cord itself, can be extremely serious. Much as knots in a garden hose block the flow of water, true knots can choke off the supply of blood from the mother’s circulatory system through the placenta and to the infant.
- Nuchal Cord: This is the term used to refer to situations in which the cord becomes wrapped around a certain part of the infant’s body, often a major limb or the neck. Despite sounding quite dangerous, nuchal chord is in fact a fairly common condition, and is generally harmless unless major restrictions of the airways or circulation exist.
- Cordal Hematoma: In this extremely lethal condition, the blood vessels of the umbilical cord begin to leak into the surrounding gelatinous material. It is rare in live-born infants, and is often associated with early fetal distress.
Contact Us
If you or someone you love has been affected by an infant’s umbilical cord injury and you believe your health care provider might have been at fault in some way, contact the Philadelphia birth injury lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 215-238-1130, for more information.