What is the cord procidence? Is there a risk if he wraps around the baby’s neck? How does the cord blood donation work? … Faustine André, a midwife, answers all your questions.
(Update of May 24, 2022). The umbilical cord is a unique link between the mother and her child. During pregnancy, it provides the nutrients and oxygen that the fetus needs to develop well. At birth, the umbilical cord can sometimes wrap aroundbut rest assured, health professionals are used to it! As for the fathers, they are invited to Cut it, just after childbirth. What you need to know about the umbilical cord.
What is the umbilical cord?
The umbilical cord is a kind of pipe allowing exchanges between the organism of the pregnant woman and that of her fetus via the placenta. Richly irrigated and including 2 arteries and a single vein, The umbilical cord transmits oxygenated blood and nutrients necessary for the development of the child. At the birth of the baby, it is customary to cut the umbilical cord to completely separate the baby from the placenta. The scar from it then forms the navel of the child.
What is the role of the umbilical cord?
Bound of the mother’s placenta at the baby’s navel, the umbilical cord brings all the essential nutrients to the fetus to live, as well as the oxygenation which passes through the blood of the cord of the cord. The umbilical cord contains a vein and two arteries, explains Faustine André, midwife*. It is through the vein that the fetus receives the nutrients and the oxygen it needs to develop and live during pregnancy. The arteries then make it possible to reject the waste. In short, it is the opposite of what is going on with his mom.
What is the cord procidence?
We are talking about the cord when the umbilical cord passes in front of the baby’s head When the water pocket is broken. It is then impossible for him to be born naturally since his head would press the cord and therefore on the blood circulation which keeps him alive. In the event that the water pocket has not been broken, the term of procidence is replaced by that of Procubitus. The procidence can occur in several situations Among which appear: placenta Praevia, excess amniotic fluid, presentation by the seat or a cord with a long length. In case of procubitus, the practice of a cesarean is then compulsory.
What’s going on when you cut the umbilical cord?
The umbilical cord represents the link that unites the child to his mother, hence the expression “cut the cord“, Generally used for adults who have trouble detaching themselves from their mother and vice versa. But concretely, What happens when the father or midwife cuts the umbilical cord ? In general, the umbilical cord is Quickly cut at birth. While it allowed the fetus to live in utero by nourishing it and bringing it the oxygen it needed, the umbilical cord is no longer vital at birth since when the child is born, the latter deploys his lungs with the first breathing and then creates a definitive breathing, while the nutrients will be brought by breastfeeding. However, the WHO now recommends a late clamping.
Late clamping of the umbilical cord: when to cut the cord?
Before cutting it, you usually clamp the umbilical cord. When this clamping is carried out within 60 seconds following the birth of the baby, we then speak of early clamping. It is considered late after a minute, following childbirth, “or when we wait for the pulses to cease inside the cord before clamping it,” said the World Health Organization. According to his latest recommendations published in April 2019, the WHO specifies that “a Late clamping of the umbilical cord (about one to three minutes after birth) is recommended for all births While we start simultaneously to provide essential care for the newborn. “Indeed, she specifies that The fact of delaying this clamping allows “to maintain the circulation of blood between the placenta and the newbornwhich can improve the iron balance of infants up to six months after birth. ” Conversely, “an early clamping of the cord (less than a minute after birth) is not recommended unless the newborn escapaths and should not be transported in resuscitation” specifies the WHO.
We cut the cord using a pliers called Clamp de Barr. Once clipped, this pliers remains hung on the cord. She will then withdraw when the cord will be dried up after a few days (about 2 to 3 days). “”You should also know that when it dries up, the umbilical cord retracts. It is therefore advisable not to cut it too much, but about 2-3 cm from the navel“, Specifies the midwife.
Cord around the neck: What to do?
THE umbilical cord surrounded around the neck of the baby worries many parents before birth. The latter fear that it will strangle during childbirth, but Accidents are rare. “Yet, The cord around the neck is very common and some mothers give birth without even knowing that their child had what is called a circular“”says Faustine André. The midwife explains that when they are small, babies play with the umbilical cord in utero, and sometimes they wrap with. There is nothing serious if the cord is not tight (We then speak of “loose circular”). However, it happens that by leaving at birth, the cord is tightening. In this case, it is the midwife who will cut the umbilical cord when the baby comes out. It can also happen that the cord wraps elsewhereat the level of the leg or shoulder for example. In a case like this, the midwife can simply remove it from birth.
Cord’s knot: What are the risks?
The real risk would be what is called The cord knot : a rather rare, but serious case since it can draw and interrupt traffic between mother and child. In any case, monitoring allows medical staff to check if there is fetal suffering and if the heart rate of the baby is correct. “”Thus, depending on the results of monitoring and if necessary, a cesarean can be practiced, and we sometimes discover that there was a node, but a posteriori“Explains the midwife.
Cord blood is a precious donation but French maternities are not all embellished to take the samples. In France, there are 30 collective maternity units, which have approval to take cord blood samples and then store them in one of the six French public banks.
Why donate the blood of the umbilical cord?
Placental blood contains stem cells that usually sit in bone marrow and produce life, blood cells. Very precious, they make it possible to reconstruct the blood system and to help many patients with malignant blood diseases, immune deficits, or rare genetic diseases … “It can therefore be an anonymous and free donation or in some cases, for a person in the frying“Explains Faustine André who gives as an example the case of an unborn child, compatible with his sick big brother.
How to donate cord blood?
Several conditions must be met to be able to take umbilical cord blood from birth. Neither the unborn child nor the mother must present any risk of infection. There should be no fetal suffering or the baby’s heart abnormality at birth. The newborn should not have a fever or unrecognized liquid (stool). In addition, there should not be a break in the watershow pocket within 24 hours. As for the mother, she must be over the age of 18 and have no genetic pathology.
How does the sample take place?
The umbilical cord blood is taken within minutes of childbirth, when the cord is cut and the placenta is still in the uterus. The sample is taken by a specially trained midwife. This fills a pocket provided by the French Blood Establishment (EFS), sufficiently to allow blood tests. So he must have enough. “The sample is completely painless for the mother and the child,” said the midwife.
*Interviews collected in 2017
