Hello Archie, hope u r doing fine. I had this doubt since my pregnancy, but thought will clarify it after reading Radha's story of Nov board.

If the Doctors are not sure of the cord around baby's neck, why do they take risk of doing normal delivery. Don't u think every pregnant women has to be scanned before going for delivery ? Can this be made compulsary ? pl clarify.

thanx
vara (oct board) archie replied. Dear Vara,
What Meghana asked and her Dr. replied is exactly what I would say.
There is no way to cord prolapse prior to labor and if one find it there is no certainty it will remain the same, complicate or resolve. This is solitarily because baby is active and can take turns in any direction, this would vary from baby to baby.

During labor, baby is going through labor stress,which is equal or larger than mother going through. There are cases where baby completely turn head, get into breech presentation or sudden movements get him/her in to cord turns around neck, or different body parts.

By knowing that over 95% women hope to have vaginal birth regardless knowing complications during pregnancy/labor it would definitely be unfair to blame Dr. for trying for vaginal birth.

While in labor if the cord is wrapping, which is in turn leads to depletion of blood supply you will notice that from baby not coping well and that heart rate is dropping. This is the reason many of them ends up in having emergency C-section. YOu can confirm such cases at least 2 per board, even on October board there must be someone ended up in C-section because of abnormal fetal heart rate during labor. The major cause for this condition is wrapped cord leading to reduced blood supply.

Now coming to Radha's case. It's absolutely different case than you are wondering. I would not comment more on that besides Radha and her family is taking it indeed with brave spirit.

This is a second case to my knowledge that led to fetal demise at full term stage.

One of the case I knew was in 38th week and she did not feel movements for 24 hours and when she got concerned it was too late.

What I think one should do, pregnant women should always keep eye on fetal movements when in third trimester, because of crowded uterus there are chances that resolving cord loops are difficult for baby in the later part of third trimester. Should one not find fetal movements on expected time, no matter how much your you don't like give a call and get it assured all is well with baby.

And of course in labor the movment you feel contractions about 5 minutes apart it's the time to reach hospital no matter whether they are intense enough or not. Let medical professionals decide on keeping you in hospital or sending home back. I think waiting indeed to have unbearable contraction can at times be fatal to both, mother and baby. I am certain once you go to hospital they will monitor for about 30 minutes to know how baby is doing, whether it's false labor, and if you are dilated enough to admit!!!!!

Once in hospital you never will loose baby, in any circumstance. But if you delay yourself to reach to hosptial nothing can be said.

Archie Meghana replied. Hey Vara,
I had asked my doctor regarding this. But she said you cannot tell when the cord can cause problems.. One might do a check but after few days the baby might rotate the head few times & suddenly some day there are 3/4 twists round the neck. So you cannot keep checking everyday & every few hours.
Secondly the doctor said that the chord might not necessarily be around the neck. The cord might be behind baby's back or twist around baby's leg or shoulder or arm or might simply just get twisted many times in place but not around any body part( like twisting a wire in place not around anything). SO the cord can be just pressed & this can stop flow to baby. SO its not possible to tell if this will happen & when it will happen. But during delivery if baby's heart rate falls one f the reasons is that the cord is pressed or twisted & so then they will take necessary measures.
I hope this helps..but we will wait for more inputs from Archie.
Best wishes
Meghana