Types of Umbilical Cord Injuries

Every baby born has one thing in common: Before birth, they relied on the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord connects the developing baby to the placenta, which provides essential nutrients so the child can grow and eventually function outside the womb. It also removes certain waste products so that the body can grow safely.

Yet, despite its necessity, the umbilical cord can also cause problems during the birth process. Medical providers who assist with births are responsible for monitoring both parent and child. With proper monitoring, problems with the umbilical cord can often be identified early and resolved. When a problem gets overlooked, however, serious harm can result.

If you suspect that negligence resulted in an umbilical cord injury to your child, reach out to Sommers Schwartz today. Our experienced Southfield birth injury attorneys can help you understand your legal options and choose the next step for you and your baby.

Types of Umbilical Cord Injuries

During birth, medical professionals must be aware of potential problems with the umbilical cord. Several common problems and their consequences are detailed below.

Infection

Problems with the umbilical cord can cause various infections. These include:

• Chorioamnionitis: an infection of the fetal membranes.
• Intra-amniotic infection (IAI): an infection of the contents of the uterus. An IAI infection may affect the umbilical cord, placenta, amniotic fluid, or the body of the child being born.
• Funisitis: an infection of the umbilical cord.
• Other intrauterine infections: can threaten both parent and child.

Infections can cause serious lifetime harm to the child and, in some cases, the parent. If you believe medical negligence has caused harm to you or your baby, contact an experienced birth injury lawyer today.

Nuchal Cord

A nuchal cord occurs when the umbilical cord wraps around the baby’s neck before or during delivery.

Nuchal cords are quite common. In fact, a 2017 study estimated that a nuchal cord occurs in 10 to 29 percent of pregnancies. While many cases of nuchal cord resolve independently, serious harm can result if the cord remains wrapped around the baby’s neck during delivery.

A nuchal cord can also result in umbilical cord compression, which can reduce or cut off the infant’s blood and oxygen supply. Without enough blood or oxygen, the brain and other tissues may die.

Short Cord

An unusually long umbilical cord is more likely to cause certain problems, including a nuchal cord. Yet an unusually short umbilical cord can cause problems as well.

When an umbilical cord is short, it doesn’t give the developing fetus enough room to move around. Movement, especially during delivery, may tear the umbilical cord. It may also pull the placenta off the wall of the uterus, causing a placental abruption.

Placental abruption typically results in severe bleeding, threatening the life of both the child and the parent. Identifying a short cord is vital so proper steps are taken to reduce risk and produce a healthy delivery.

True Knot

True to its name, a true knot is a knot that forms in the umbilical cord. True knots are relatively rare. Studies indicate that a true knot occurs in only 0.3 to 2 percent of all pregnancies.

True knots may be unusual, but they are also dangerous. A true knot causes many of the same problems as a nuchal cord, cord compression, or cord prolapse. A true knot may lead to oxygen deprivation, nutrient deprivation, or fetal acidosis, in which carbon dioxide levels inside the body rise to dangerous levels.

Several conditions increase the risk of a true knot, including:

• Gestational diabetes mellitus.
• Monoamniotic twins, or twins who share the same amniotic sac.
• Polyhydramnios, or excessive amniotic fluid.
• Small size or weight at birth, including pre-term birth.
• Testing of certain kinds, including genetic amniocentesis.
• Unusually long umbilical cords.

When pregnancy involves one or more of these conditions, fetal monitoring is essential, as the risk of a true knot increases.

Umbilical Cord Compression

In an umbilical cord compression, the umbilical cord gets squeezed somehow. Pressure on the umbilical cord prevents blood and oxygen from flowing in. It also prevents waste products like carbon dioxide from flowing out.

Some pressure on the umbilical cord is normal, especially during labor. However, complications can result if the pressure is too tight or is held too long. Oxygen deprivation, nutrition deprivation, or fetal acidosis can all result from umbilical cord compression.

Nuchal chords, true knots, and umbilical cord prolapse are three ways umbilical cord compression may occur.

Umbilical Cord Prolapse

In an ideal delivery, the baby’s head appears first, face down. The umbilical cord and placenta appear when the baby’s entire body has passed through the birth canal.

During an umbilical cord prolapse, the umbilical cord “cuts the line.” Overt cord prolapse occurs when the umbilical cord begins to come out ahead of the baby. Occult cord prolapse occurs when the cord comes out alongside the baby.

Both types of prolapse threaten the baby’s health. As the umbilical cord slips out ahead of or alongside the baby’s body, it may get heavily compressed. Compression can cause serious injuries.

Vasa Previa

The umbilical cord’s role is to connect the growing fetus to the placenta. In most pregnancies, the blood vessels inside the umbilical cord stay in the cord to make this connection.

In vasa previa, these blood vessels migrate outside the umbilical cord. Instead of staying contained in the cord, the blood vessels enter the amniotic fluid into the placenta.

Without umbilical cord protection, these blood vessels are more fragile. Massive blood loss may threaten both the baby and the parent if they rupture during labor and delivery. Identifying vasa previa as early as possible can help ensure steps get taken to protect both parent and baby during delivery.

How Might an Umbilical Cord Injury Harm My Child?

The umbilical cord is a literal lifeline both before and during birth. When that lifeline is damaged or cut off, the situation becomes life-threatening.

Many umbilical cord injuries threaten the health of a developing baby by cutting off oxygen, reducing nutrient supplies, and preventing the body from getting rid of carbon dioxide and other wastes.

When oxygen-rich blood supplies get cut off, the infant may experience birth asphyxia. Birth asphyxia is a dangerous drop in oxygen levels during birth. Without oxygen, the brain and other tissues quickly die or suffer damage.

Two typical results of birth asphyxia for infants are:

• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE can cause problems ranging from breathing difficulties in the first moments of life to lifelong seizures, organ problems, and problems with motor control or thinking.
• Cerebral palsy (CP). CP affects the brain’s ability to control motor movements. Cases of cerebral palsy range from relatively mild challenges to widespread difficulties requiring intensive support. Regardless of the degree of the problem, an infant with cerebral palsy will have the condition for life.

Other injuries can also result from umbilical cord injuries and the resulting impact on the newborn child’s oxygen, nutrient, and carbon dioxide levels.

Umbilical cord injuries can cause serious harm to the parent as well. The umbilical cord connects the growing fetus’s blood supply to the mother’s. A rupture in the umbilical cord or the placenta may cut off blood flow to the growing child by causing severe bleeding or blood loss in the adult. Both parent and child may suffer dangerous or deadly effects from this blood loss.

Several diagnostic methods help medical professionals identify and address problems. Ultrasounds and other tests during pregnancy can help identify abnormally short or long umbilical cords and instances of nuchal cord or true knot. Fetal monitoring, especially during delivery, can tell medical teams immediately if a baby’s oxygen levels drop. Various tests immediately after birth can also help medical providers spot and address some problems.

Many parents go into the birth process aware of potential problems spotted during the pregnancy. Others may not know anything is wrong until an umbilical cord injury occurs. Fetal monitoring during delivery alerts medical providers to these problems as they occur. In some cases, medical teams can follow evidence-based protocols to reduce the impact of fetal asphyxia or other umbilical cord injuries.

What To Do if You Suspect an Umbilical Cord Injury

If you know or have reason to believe an umbilical cord injury harmed you, a family member, or your newborn child, speak to an experienced birth injury attorney today.

At Sommers Schwartz, P.C., our Detroit and Southfield umbilical cord injury lawyers have years of experience fighting for injured children and their families. We work with nurse consultants and outside medical professionals to understand the details of your case. We’ll explain how the law applies to your situation and support you as you make an informed, caring decision for yourself and your family.