Significance of nuchal cord.

Perinatal events of 180 babies with nuchal cord (umbilical cord entanglement around foetal neck) over one year have been studied. The incidence of nuchal cord was 5.74% of all hospital deliveries. More than one third (39%) of them had tight nuchal cord (TNC) and 61% had loose nuchal cord (LNC). Babies with TNC were more frequently met with foetal distress (51%), prolonged second stage (11%), non-toxaemic accidental haemorrhage (7%) and operative delivery (56%) when compared to babies with LNC and controls (without nuchal cord). Nearly one fourth (24%) of the babies with TNC were born as small for date, had birth asphyxia (61%) and 8.5% died during perinatal period. Perinatal outcome was adversely affected by TNC in comparison to LNC and controls.