What is the term for the umbilical cord around the neck of the neonate?

• A. Prolapsed cord
• B. Breech birth
• C. Nuchal cord
• D. Limb presentation

Answer: (C)

The term for the umbilical cord around the neck is nuchal cord. “Nuchal” comes from the neck area, so a nuchal cord literally means the cord is looped around the baby’s neck. It’s a fairly common finding and may not cause problems if the loop isn’t tight, but a tight cord can compress blood vessels and affect the baby during delivery. In practice, if a nuchal cord is encountered, clinicians try to gently slip the loop over the head if possible; if that isn’t feasible, the cord is managed after delivery to relieve the loop. The other terms refer to different obstetric issues: a prolapsed cord means the cord protrudes into the birth canal ahead of the baby and is a danger; breech birth is when the baby presents feet or buttocks first; limb presentation is when an arm or leg presents first. Thus, nuchal cord is the correct term for the cord around the neck.