Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSignsTreatmentRisk FactorsComplicationsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Signs
Treatment
Risk Factors
Complications
Frequently Asked Questions
Verywell / Jessica Olah
There are several different scenarios that have the potential to cause umbilical cord compression, including:
A helpful visual of umbilical cord compression is to think of the umbilical cord as a garden hose. If the hose is bent, flattened, twisted, or knotted, the water flow will slow down or stop—similar to what happens to the flow of blood and nutrients when the umbilical cord is compressed.
It’s possible to discover umbilical cord compression during routine pregnancy screenings, but it is sometimes not discovered until delivery or birth.
There usually are not any obvious or noticeable signs of umbilical cord compression for the pregnant person, though some people experience:
How Common Are Umbilical Cord Accidents?
Your care team will monitor for:
When to Call Your DoctorIf you think you might be experiencing signs of umbilical cord compression—particularly feeling the cord drop into the cervix during umbilical cord prolapse—call your doctor or 911 immediately, or head to the nearest emergency room.
When to Call Your Doctor
If you think you might be experiencing signs of umbilical cord compression—particularly feeling the cord drop into the cervix during umbilical cord prolapse—call your doctor or 911 immediately, or head to the nearest emergency room.
Once umbilical cord compression has been identified, your doctor will want to treat it quickly to avoid complications.
What to Expect When You Give Birth
It’s not possible to predict if and when umbilical cord compression will happen. It’s also not easy to tell if it will be a serious case with complications or just a mild, temporary condition.
There are a few risk factors that may increase the chance of umbilical cord compression occurring.
Potential complications include:
While the serious complications of umbilical cord compression sound scary, keep in mind that these are worst-case scenarios. Doctors are trained to detect and treat the problem, and most compression cases do not cause serious harm.
What are the signs of umbilical cord compression?
Often, there are no noticeable signs for mild, temporary cases of umbilical cord compression that resolve on their own.
How common is umbilical cord compression?
A Word From Verywell
Getting routine prenatal care that includes careful monitoring of fetal development and positioning is one way to make sure cord compression is caught early and addressed.
If you have any concerns about your risk for experiencing umbilical cord compression, make sure to bring these up with your doctor. They will be able to help answer your questions as you navigate the pregnancy and delivery experience.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cleveland Clinic.Umbilical Cord Prolapse.
Peesay M.Nuchal cord and its implications.Maternal Health, Neonatology and Perinatology.2017;3:28. doi:10.1186/s40748-017-0068-7
National Institutes of Health (NIH).What are some common complications during labor and delivery?.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Oligohydramnios.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).Practice Bulletin: Fetal Growth Restriction.
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Umbilical Cord Prolapse.
World Health Organization (WHO).Managing complications in pregnancy and childbirth: A guide for midwives and doctors.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cerebral Palsy (CP). Causes and Risk Factors of Cerebral Palsy.
Collins JH.Silent Risk: Issues about the Human Umbilical Cord. 2nd ed. Xlbris.
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