title: Chronic umbilical cord entanglements causing intrauterine fetal demise in the second trimester.
abstract: Entanglement of the umbilical cord with fetal body parts is known to occur in early pregnancy. This can potentially compromise the cord blood flow and cause fetal demise. We report 3 instances of intrauterine fetal deaths in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy with longstanding cord entanglement. The cord had left impressions of entanglement on the entrapped growing fetal part. Restricted movements of the fetus due to cord entanglement led to reduced spiraling of the umbilical cord. Our case series demonstrates that tight entanglement of fetal body parts by the umbilical cord can cause fetal demise in the 2nd trimester. This event is associated with a straight umbilical cord. Thus, the presence of reduced spiraling in intrauterine fetal demise warrants a search for possible cord entanglement along with established causes, such as chromosomal and congenital anomalies.
authors.affiliation: Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Yashokamal, Erandavane, Pune-411004, India. drprakashgambhir@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Prakash S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Gambhir
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupte
authors.forename: Amit D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kamat
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patankar
authors.forename: Vinayak D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: Mrudula A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Phadke
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000473:pathology*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000473:pathology*