Preksha Sharma
S.M.S Medical College, Jaipur, India.
Title: Umbilical cord- a key factor in still births and full term normal deliveries
Biography
Biography: Preksha Sharma
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Stillbirth is defined as “when the infant is delivered with no signs of life and the gestational age being between 20 weeks and full term”. It is one of the obstetric complications which have not been studied widely. Still birth presents a devastating pregnancy outcome and the need for increased efforts in prevention has been highlighted. The umbilical cord, as documented in the literature is a cord like structure covered by the amniotic membrane. The fetal well-being is adversely affected by the pathologic lesions of the umbilical cord. There are numerous umbilical cord abnormalities, both gross and histological which have been associated with still birth. Compromise of foetal umbilical circulation is seen in 20% of stillbirths at the time of autopsy.
MATERIAL AND METHOD:
In the present study the cases were divided into two groups i.e. group A (control), group B (cases of still births) and parameters were record
RESULT:
GROSS EXAMINATION OF UMBILICAL CORD
- Length of the umbilical cord
Length of umbilical cord in normal full term deliveries is significantly more (p<0.05) as compared to that of the still births
- Knots in the umbilical cord
The difference in proportion of false knot was not with significant (p>0.05) variation. True knots were not found.
- Insertion of the umbilical cord
Insertion was found to be central in both the groups
HISTOLOGY OF UMBILICAL CORD
- UMBILICAL CORD VASCULITIS
Vasculitis was seen only in the cases of still birth.
- INFLAMMATORY CELLS
None in Group A whereas in group B there were inflammatory cells in umbilical cord in 16%.
CONCLUSION:
There were increased inflammatory changes such as vasculitis and inflammatory cell infiltrate in the case of still birth. Therefore appropriate and timely measures should be taken in an order to improve the outcome of pregnancy.