European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction:The umbilical cord is vital for development, wellbeing and survival of the
fetus and yet, it is vulnerable to kinking, compressions,traction and torsion which may
effect the perinatal outcome. The total number of coils for any particular cord is
believed to be established early in gestation.
Aim:To measure the umbilical coiling index postnatally and to study its association with
adverse perinatal outcomes.
Materials and methods:Prospective Observational study in Department of Obstetrics
and Gynecology , for a period of 1 year 6 months.120 cases carried out to calculate the
UCI and correlate the relationship between the abnormal umbilical coiling index ( hypo
or hyper ) and adverse perinatal outcome.
Results: Baseline characters were similar in the three groups. There was a significant
difference between the hypercoiled and hypocoiled group with respect to the perinatal
parameters like meconium staining, NICU admissions of the babies, low APGAR score
at 1 minute, fetal distress and birth weights.
Conclusions:Both hypo and hypercoiling of cords had significant correlation with
adverse fetal outcomes.