Recurrence of True Umbilical Cord Knot: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: The occurrence of a true umbilical cord knot is a rare event in the fetal umbilical cord that can lead to fetal death and stillbirth. The primary reason for fetal death associated with the presence of a true knot is the decrease in blood flow between the placenta and the umbilical cord, which reduces the delivery of sufficient oxygen and nutrients needed by the fetus. Therefore, it is very important to identify true umbilical cord knots.

Case report: The patient is a 33-year-old G2P1 woman with a history of stillbirth in a previous pregnancy due to the presence of a true knot in the umbilical cord. At the 32nd week of her second pregnancy, she began monitoring her fetal health, and to avoid stillbirth, her delivery was scheduled for the 37th week of pregnancy. The fetus was born with an Apgar score of 9 and two true knots along the umbilical cord.

Conclusion: Considering the occurrence of true knots during two consecutive pregnancies, it seems that heredity plays an important role in the frequent occurrence of this event in this individual. Therefore, a careful examination of the history of previous pregnancies is necessary to prevent recurrence and mitigate the negative consequences from prior pregnancies in subsequent ones.