CORRELATION OF FETAL UMBILICAL CORD CHARACTERISTICS WITH PREGNANCY AND LABOUR COMPLICATIONS AT THE EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ABAKALIKI

Abstract

The presence of short umbilical cord has been associated with antepartum
abnormalities, and the very short umbilical cord with certain intrapartum
complications. The very long umbilical cords are associated with cord
entanglement and true knots. Few studies have investigated both risk factors and
outcomes associated with this relatively rare condition. These studies contain
conflicting reports on the association of factors, such as parity, and sex of the
fetus with umbilical cord length.

This study aims at documenting the length of the fetal umbilical cord in pregnant
women of the Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH), as well as
any association between umbilical cord length and birth weight, placental weight,
sex, parity and certain intrapartum complications.

Prospective descriptive and analytical study of umbilical cords characteristics of
deliveries conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of
EBSUTH, Abakaliki, between 1st October, 2008 and 6th of April 2009 were done.
Analyses were done using EPI info.

A total of 588 consecutive deliveries met the inclusion criteria. The female babies
were 296(50.3%) in number, while males accounted for 292(49.7%). The mean
cord length was 57.87(+12.6) and ranged between 22cm and 124cm.Mean cord
length of the male babies was 58.16(+13.3) and that of the female babies was
57.59(+11.9). There was no association between umbilical cord length and parity.
There was a positive but insignificant correlation between cord length and
placenta weight and gestational age. The mean umbilical cord length of cases
with loops of cord was significantly higher than that of the study population.
Shoulder dystocia, hand prolapse, abruption placentae and prolonged second
stage of labour were found to have relatively shorter cords. While fetal distress
(non-reassuring fetal heart rate) cord prolapse and meconium stained liquor had
longer cords.

Umbilical cord length was positively associated with increasing gestational age,
placental weight and sex of the babies, but not with parity of the women or cord
insertion. Extremes of cord length could predispose to certain intrapartum and
cords complications.

CORRELATION OF FETAL UMBILICAL CORD CHARACTERISTICS WITH PREGNANCY AND LABOUR COMPLICATIONS AT THE EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ABAKALIKI