Umbilical cord coiling index as a marker of maternal and perinatal outcome: a retrospective study

Introduction :The umbilical cord or funis forms the connecting link between the fetus and the placenta. An abnormal UCI includes both hypo and hyper coiled cords. An abnormal UCI has been reported to be related to adverse perinatal outcome. Objectives: To study the association between UCI and i) intrapartum events (fetal distress, meconium staining), ii) mode of delivery and iii) perinatal outcomes (birth weight, Apgar score, NICU admission). Methods: A prospective analytical study was performed in our institute on 200 patients over a period of 2 years. The UCI was measured by ultrasound using the method suggested by Degani et al. Its association with various maternal and perinatal risk factors was noted. The results were statistically analyzed with the Chi-square test and SPSS version 13.0. Results: There was significant correlation (p value 0.003) between the hypercoiled cords and intrauterine growth restriction of the babies. Apgar score at 1 min4 and 5 min7 was highly significant (p.001) with hypocoiled cords. Meconium staining was significantly (p value 0.001) associated with the hypocoiled cords in the present study. Conclusion: The hypocoiled cords are associated with the meconium staining and low Apgar score. The hypercoiled cords are associated with intra uterine growth restriction