What happens when the umbilical cord is tangled?
1. What does“tangled” means?
A tangled cord usually refers to a nuchal cord (wrapped around the baby’s neck) or the cord looping around the baby’s body, arm, or leg. This happens because babies move a lot in the amniotic fluid, and the cord can naturally wrap or twist.
2. Is a tangled cord dangerous?
Most of the time, no.
The umbilical cord is designed to be very strong and flexible, and Wharton’s jelly protects the blood vessels from being squeezed. That means:
• Blood usually continues flowing normally.
• Many babies are born with the cord around the neck once or even twice with no problems.
3. When can it become a problem?
A tangled cord can become risky only if:
• It gets too tight and compresses the blood vessels.
• It becomes knotted (a true knot).
• It gets squeezed during labour contractions.
• The cord is too short, limiting movement.
In these rare cases, it may reduce the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the baby.
4. How doctors monitor it?
• Ultrasounds often show loops of cord around the baby.
• During labour, doctors check the baby’s heart rate. If the cord gets squeezed, the baby’s heart rate pattern changes.
• If the cord becomes a serious problem during labour, doctors can perform an emergency C-section to keep the baby safe.
5. Why most tangles are harmless:
• The cord floats freely in fluid.
• It is usually long enough to allow movement without pulling.
• Wharton’s jelly prevents compression.
• Blood flow continues unless the cord is pulled very tightly.
6. After birth:
If the cord is around the baby’s neck, doctors or nurses simply slide it off right after the head comes out. This is a normal step and takes only a second.