A 19-year-old mother, 40 weeks into her second pregnancy, was admitted to Tuyen Hoa Regional General Hospital on the morning of 29/8 for a planned vaginal delivery. Later that day, she gave birth to a baby boy with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck six times—a rare and potentially dangerous occurrence that can lead to asphyxia and fetal cardiac arrest.

The baby was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck six times. Photo: Anh Toan

The baby was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck six times. Photo: Anh Toan

Fortunately, the 2.7 kg baby boy had a healthy pink complexion and was nursing well after birth. The mother also recovered quickly and is in stable condition. "The hospital has seen babies born with the umbilical cord wrapped around their necks once or twice, but this is the first time we've seen it happen six times," said a representative of the Obstetrics Department at Tuyen Hoa Regional General Hospital.

Medical literature indicates that one in every three babies is born with the umbilical cord wrapped around their neck. Usually, it's only wrapped once or twice. Multiple loops of the umbilical cord can prevent the fetal head from flexing properly, hindering vaginal delivery.

While a nuchal cord can be detected during ultrasound scans, it's not necessarily an indication for a cesarean section. Expectant mothers shouldn't be overly concerned if this occurs, but close monitoring of the fetus is essential. The umbilical cord can sometimes untangle itself as the baby moves and rotates in the womb.

Dac Thanh