title: Prenatal diagnosis of an unusual nuchal cord complication in monoamniotic twins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Monoamniotic twin pregnancies are frequently associated with cord entanglement, but such entanglement rarely involves the co-twin's trunk, extremities, or neck.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a set of monoamniotic twins in which color Doppler imaging revealed that the cord of twin B was wrapped around the neck of its dead co-twin. This knowledge allowed us to avoid clamping and dividing twin A's nuchal cord during vaginal delivery, preventing asphyxia of twin B. This is the fifth reported incidence of this particular monoamniotic complication and the first to be diagnosed prenatally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Color Doppler imaging facilitates the diagnosis of rare cord complications in monoamniotic twin pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, St. Peter's Medical Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Brunswick, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Westover
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Guzman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen-Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014470:Umbilical Cord