Umbilical cord prolapse, a complication when the umbilical cord precedes the baby

Have you heard of prominent umbilical cord or cord prolapse? Umbilical cord prolapse or prominent umbilical cord is a problem during childbirth that can harm the baby. To find out more, let's look at the following explanation.

Umbilical cord prolapse is a complication of childbirth

Umbilical cord prolapse is a condition in which the umbilical cord or umbilical cord is located before the baby's head in the cervix (cervix).

In fact, the baby's umbilical cord goes up to your vagina, even though the baby's position is still behind it.

This condition is one of the complications of childbirth that can occur before or during the birth process.

Even though normally, the umbilical cord or umbilical cord is a life support that helps the baby's development while in the womb.

The umbilical cord is the connecting channel between the mother and the fetus while in the womb.

Through the umbilical cord, all nutrients and oxygen from the mother can be received by the fetus to support its growth and development.

Given this very important function, the existence of a normal and healthy umbilical cord must always be maintained until the baby is born into the world.

But sometimes, the baby's umbilical cord can come out of the cervix (cervix) and then into the vagina prior to the baby's discharge.

This condition usually occurs before signs of childbirth in the form of ruptured amniotic fluid.

Other signs of labor are also seen with labor contractions and the opening of the delivery.

Umbilical cord prolapse is a very rare complication and can occur in about 1 in every 300 births.

Most of these cases occur at birth because at that time the baby will move more.

Changes in movement can affect the position of the umbilical cord so that it can change and cover the passage of the baby to be born.

This can cause compression of the umbilical cord or increase the pressure on the blood vessels in the baby's cord.

This is a condition that then causes the umbilical cord to advance and close the birth canal.

Babies can sometimes experience increased pressure on the umbilical cord while they are in the womb.

However, this increased pressure usually only occurs in conditions that are considered mild and harmless.

However, in certain cases, this increase in pressure can develop more severely and last for a long time to result in umbilical cord prolapse.

What are the causes of cord prolapse?

There are various things that can cause umbilical cord prolapse, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

First, excessive movement of the baby (hyperactivity) while in the womb can cause pressure on the umbilical cord.

Furthermore, umbilical cord prolapse is a condition that can also occur during childbirth due to the stretching and compression of the baby's umbilical cord.

Other causes can also be due to premature rupture of the membranes, or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).

PPROM is a condition of the membranes that break before the time of birth arrives before the age of 32 weeks. This is the most common cause of cord prolapse.

The likelihood of increased pressure on the umbilical cord, which causes the umbilical cord to cover the birth canal can be 32-76 percent.

Ruptured amniotic sac just before the baby is born or before the baby's head is actually on the cervix can increase the risk of umbilical cord prolapse.

The other causes of cord prolapse are as follows:

The baby is born prematurely or earlier than the gestational age it should be
Are pregnant with twins, triplets, or more
Excess amount of amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios)
The baby in the womb is in the breech position
The size of the umbilical cord is longer than normal

Make sure you don't forget to prepare a variety of childbirth preparations and delivery supplies before the D-day arrives.

What complications can arise from umbilical cord prolapse?

As previously explained, the umbilical cord is a tube with a flexible structure that connects mother and baby during pregnancy. This is explained by the Cleveland Clinic.

Apart from delivering the amount of nutrients and oxygen the baby needs, the umbilical cord or baby's umbilical cord also carries and removes other substances that the baby no longer needs.

The need for these nutrients and oxygen supplies will continue to be needed by the baby during the normal delivery process regardless of the position of labor.

In fact, a few minutes after the baby is born, the umbilical cord can still provide nutrients and oxygen to the baby through the bloodstream.

That is why, the pressure or blockage in the blood flow in the umbilical cord can cause labor problems and have a serious impact on the health of the baby.

The various complications resulting from prominent umbilical cord or cord prolapse are:

1. Lowering oxygen levels and baby's heart rate

The compressed umbilical cord due to umbilical cord prolapse can cause a decrease in the baby's heart rate.

This condition will also obstruct the supply of blood flow from mother to baby because there is a change in oxygen levels and a decrease in heart rate.

This means the baby can experience a shortage of nutrients and oxygen from the mother as a result of umbilical cord prolapse.

On the other hand, compression on the umbilical cord can cause a build-up of carbon dioxide in the baby's bloodstream.

As a result, prolapse of the umbilical cord is a condition that can eventually make it difficult for the baby to breathe smoothly.

The risk of complications in babies when experiencing this condition is actually determined by the length of time this condition lasts.

If the pressure on the umbilical cord occurs for a long time, automatically the decrease in blood and oxygen flow to the baby's brain will also take longer.

This then can increase the chances of the baby experiencing a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain.

If this problem is not treated quickly, there is a big risk for the baby to experience brain damage.

2. Resulting in stillborn babies

Umbilical cord prolapse is a condition that, if it continues for a long time, can also cause stillbirths (stillbirth).

This condition of a baby born dead can be caused by a lack of oxygen supply while in the womb.

Various complications from this prominent umbilical cord can be treated immediately if the mother gives birth in the hospital.

Meanwhile, if the mother gives birth at home, the treatment may not be as fast as at the hospital.

If the mother is accompanied by a doula from pregnancy, this childbirth companion can also accompany the mother until delivery and after.

How is umbilical cord prolapse diagnosed?

Even though you have entered the end of the third trimester of pregnancy or before the day of birth, you are still advised to routinely have your uterus checked by a doctor.

This aims to ensure your health condition as well as the future baby who will be born later.

The reason is, some problems that occur during pregnancy and before childbirth can sometimes not be known on their own, including umbilical cord prolapse.

So, you need further examination with a doctor to ensure the health of you and the baby in the womb.

Now, to find out if there is a problem with the umbilical cord, here are some tests that doctors usually do:

Prenatal

Doctors can use tools in the form of a fetal doppler or ultrasound (USG), to detect the condition of the baby in the womb.

The type of ultrasound itself is divided into two, namely transvaginal and abdominal (abdominal) ultrasound.

Both types of ultrasound can be used to check the baby's condition during pregnancy.

It's just the difference, abdominal ultrasound is the most common type of ultrasound because the examination is done through the outside of the stomach.

Meanwhile, transvaginal ultrasound, as the name implies, is done directly into the vagina. Both of them use a device in the form of a probe stick called a transducer.

However, on abdominal ultrasound, the transducer is only used outside the stomach by applying the gel first.

Meanwhile, on transvaginal ultrasound, the transducer is inserted directly into the vagina.

That way, you can know the complete condition of the reproductive organs and pregnancy health.

This includes the risk of complications, such as umbilical cord prolapse as well as problems with the baby's heart rate and placenta.

However, transvaginal ultrasound scanning of the prolapse of the baby's cord via transvaginal ultrasound is a test that can only be done early in pregnancy.

This procedure is best done before the 8th week of gestation.

Fetal doppler is a device that works similar to ultrasound, by using high frequency sound waves.

A little difference, ultrasound is usually only able to capture the health condition of the baby and your womb in the form of images.

However, fetal doppler can help determine the condition of blood flow and the risk of problems related to the baby's blood vessels.

When giving birth

During the labor process, doctors will usually use special tools to monitor the baby's heart condition.

This aims to find out if the baby's heart rate is normal or there is a problem.

If there has been a problem with the umbilical cord, for example umbilical cord prolapse, the baby's heart rate will slow down.

In fact, the baby's heart rate can reach less than 120 beats per minute or the baby is said to have bradycardia.

Usually, the doctor checks for problems with the umbilical cord, such as cord prolapse, by examining your pelvis.

The doctor will look at or feel your pelvis for an umbilical cord in it.

If it turns out to be a problem for example umbilical cord prolapse, taking medical action is a procedure that the doctor may perform immediately next.

How to treat umbilical cord prolapse?

Since problems with the umbilical cord can have very serious consequences for the baby, treatment of cord prolapse should be done as soon as it is detected.

Some of the options for treating umbilical cord prolapse are as follows:

1. Change the position of the baby and the umbilical cord

As a solution, the doctor will usually try to change the position of the baby and the umbilical cord.

That way, the possibility of the baby experiencing lack of oxygen due to umbilical cord prolapse can be minimized.

This also applies when the pressure on the baby's umbilical cord is not too great.

The doctor may increase the delivery of oxygen to the mother so that it can help improve the baby's blood flow.

2. Amnioinfusion

In addition, one of the actions that can be done in cases of umbilical cord prolapse is amnioinfusion.

Amnioinfusion is an action to treat umbilical cord prolapse by inserting a saline solution into the uterus during labor.

This method is done with the aim of reducing the potential for greater pressure on the umbilical cord.

3. Giving oxygen to the mother

Another case when the pressure or prolapse on the umbilical cord is light, the treatment given by the doctor is to increase maternal oxygen.

The goal is to increase blood flow through the placenta.

Meanwhile, for more severe cases, the condition of umbilical cord prolapse before the birth process arrives is a condition that must always be monitored by doctors and the medical team.

This is done to determine the risk of problems with the baby's umbilical cord.

So, when a certain dangerous disorder is found, such as umbilical cord prolapse, the doctor can provide treatment to save you and the baby.