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Having a child is one of the most fascinating experiences anyone can have. It is a part of you taking shape and coming to life. For this reason, many women consider the moment of childbirth to be one of the most intense in their lives. But despite all this magic and these feelings that we just talked about, childbirth is a moment that can also cause problems, especially when it comes to the real umbilical cord knot .
Although it is not known or widely commented on, it is a problem that can have several consequences, and precisely for this reason, it needs to be analyzed in depth. It is true that problems such as the circular knot or the true umbilical cord knot do not appear only at the time of delivery and can complicate a woman’s pregnancy from the beginning of pregnancy.
Precaution
Despite this, a good medical follow-up can prevent serious consequences from occurring , being able to perform procedures that range from the application of medications to an induced delivery, if the doctor thinks it is necessary, of course.
But in order to know why exactly these problems such as the true umbilical cord knot arise during the gestation of so many women, we first need to understand what is this cord so important for the emergence of life.
What is the Function of the Umbilical Cord?
The umbilical cord appears normally after the 8th week of pregnancy , albeit in a primitive form. It consists of a gelatinous material, called Wharton’s jelly, which contains two arteries and a vein within it.
It is the link between mother and child throughout pregnancy, the umbilical cord is responsible for all the baby’s nutrition during pregnancy, feeding it with all the necessary nutrients that come from the mother’s body.
The baby’s breathing inside the mother is done through the umbilical cord , with the vein and placental arteries connected to the uterus. For this reason, when the cord is cut at the time of delivery, arteries that until then were hardly used, open up and serve as a route for the child’s pulmonary breathing.
The function of the umbilical cord is, basically, to feed the baby and ensure its breathing inside the mother’s womb until the moment of its birth. And now that we understand why it is so important for the formation of our life, we can talk more deeply about the problems that occur with the umbilical cord.
Types of Knot in the Umbilical Cord
There are basically two types of knots that can occur with umbilical cords:
- Umbilical cord circular knot
- True umbilical cord knot
Umbilical Cord Circular Knot
In the case of a circular knot, the cord is wrapped around specific limbs or parts of the baby’s body, which does not pose much risk to the baby. The true umbilical cord knot presents a slightly more complicated situation.
True Umbilical Cord Knot
It occurs when the cord ties itself into a knot. This type of problem is rare, occurring in about 2% of pregnancy cases only, but it generates a lot of concern, since, depending on how tight the knot is, it can even interrupt the exchange of nutrients between the mother and the baby .
It can interrupt the circulation of the vein and arteries that make up the cord. Through an ultrasound, a doctor can perceive that the problem is occurring, despite the diagnosis, in most cases, being given only at the time of delivery.
How to Avoid the True Umbilical Cord Knot?
There are no direct ways to prevent this problem. However, as it is often associated with diseases such as gestational diabetes, preventions against this disease can help pregnant women not to develop the true umbilical cord knot.
Morphological ultrasound in the first months of pregnancy and the use of certain types of medication can be useful so that women do not develop gestational diabetes.
ATTENTION: Always seek the help of a doctor when you have signs that you may have an illness. Never self-medicate, especially when you are pregnant, this can have negative consequences for both you and the baby.
Causes of Umbilical Cord Problems
There are several other types of problems that can occur with the umbilical cord and for various causes and that are directly or indirectly related to the true umbilical cord node. The main ones are:
- Too Short Umbilical Cord
- Vein or Artery Obstruction
- Problems During Childbirth
Let’s talk a little more deeply about each one of them to understand how they occur and what are the best ways to deal with them.
Too Short Umbilical Cord
This type of problem can have some consequences, such as the lack of oxygen or nutrients for the baby, if the cord is too short. On the other hand, when it is too long, there are other problems that can occur, such as the two knot types, which we have already mentioned.
Vein Obstruction
Clogged veins can cause suffocation or the total loss of nutrients in the baby, causing death or other serious consequences. This is often because of the actual umbilical cord knot, but it can also occur because of an umbilical cord that is too short.
Problems During Childbirth
Problems during childbirth that occur with the umbilical cord, such as being wrapped around the child’s neck, for example, can usually be corrected without causing major problems.
Often, some nodes are identified only at this stage and corrected at that time, leaving the baby with no sequela. When this happens, the baby usually stays in the hospital for a few days on surveillance to check his condition and whether he is able to leave without any problems.
Understanding what is and what the function of the umbilical cord is essential both for women who wish to be mothers and for those who are starting pregnancy or have been pregnant for some time. Knowing this information is important because not always when a doctor examines you, he will directly associate your problem with this, but you can indicate some problems that may occur with you.
But don’t worry, although they do exist, problems like the real umbilical cord knot are solvable, especially if you have good medical care and are aware of what may happen to you during your pregnancy.
As we said, having a child is a unique and special moment, so do not let this type of misfortune hinder your experience of pregnancy and becoming a mother, after all, it is not every day that this happens.
See Also: All About Normal Childbirth – Does Cord Interfere?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
