True umbilical cord knot

Abstract

Umbilical cord is the lifeline of the fetus connecting it to the mother. It provides nutrition, oxygen, various trophic factors, and hormones from the mother to the fetus. Knotting of the umbilical cord is relatively a rare occurrence and is of two types. True knot of the umbilical cord is a serious condition which can result in fetal distress and catastrophic neonatal complications. We report a case of true umbilical cord knot, in a 28-year-old second gravida, which was diagnosed after elective cesarean section. The knotting was not found during her routine ante-natal scans. The newborn did not have any complications due to the knotting. Although prenatal diagnosis of a true knot is challenging, newer imaging techniques are promising.

Keywords

• Cesarean section
• true knot
• umbilical cord