Hyderabad hospital saves mother, newborn after umbilical cord prolapse complication

By Newsmeter Network  Published on  28 Jun 2021 11:00 AM GMT
Hyderabad hospital saves mother, newborn after umbilical cord prolapse complication

Hyderabad: The team of doctors at Apollo Cradle and Children's Hospital, Kondapur, saved the lives of a mother and her newborn after the woman, in an advanced stage of pregnancy, developed a rare and life-threatening complication called umbilical cord prolapse. Both the mother and baby have recovered without any complications and have been discharged, the hospital said on Monday.

The 32-year-old Manasa was into her eighth month of pregnancy and was preparing to visit the hospital for her routine prenatal check. She was however petrified by the sight of a suspended loop of cord between her legs and the amniotic fluid draining out swiftly. The worried family after consultation with her treating obstetrician, Dr. Prameela Shekhar, was advised to shift Manasa in a supine position to the hospital.

An ultrasound scan indicated the presence of a fetal heartbeat and she was rushed to the operation theatre. An immediate Cesarean section was performed and within 15 minutes a female baby weighing 2.45 kgs was delivered, the hospital reported.

What is umbilical cord prolapse?

The umbilical cord prolapse, though a rare phenomenon, is a medical emergency during pregnancy, necessitating urgent Cesarean surgery to save both the fetus and the mother. Umbilical cord prolapse manifests when the amniotic sac which holds the fetus, breaches, leading to the amniotic fluid spilling out of the sac and the umbilical cord coming out of the uterus.

The umbilical cord is the lifeline of the fetus supplying blood, oxygen, and nutrients for its growth. While hanging out of the uterus the cord is likely to get squeezed between the baby and the mother's womb, thereby depriving the fetus of its supply of essentials, including oxygen needed to survive. This can be fatal to the fetus leading to stillbirth and can be lethal to the mother as well.

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