What is a prolapsed umbilical cord?
The umbilical cord is the tube full of blood vessels that connects you to your baby while you're pregnant. The cord comes out of the baby's belly button, which is called the umbilicus. The umbilical cord carries blood with nutrients and oxygen from your placenta to your baby. When you give birth, usually the baby is delivered first and then the umbilical cord comes out after the baby.
A prolapsed umbilical cord is an umbilical cord that has fallen out in front of your baby during delivery. When this happens, the umbilical cord can get pinched shut between your baby and your pelvic bones. This cuts off the baby's blood supply, which can be rapidly fatal.
Placenta, cord, and fetus
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What causes a prolapsed umbilical cord?
Obvious prolapse can happen when:
Your water breaks early (also called premature rupture of the membranes Premature Rupture of the Membranes (PROM) When you're pregnant, your baby grows in amniotic fluid inside your uterus (womb). The fluid and the baby are inside a sac called the amniotic sac. The sac is made of a thin but strong membrane... read more
)Your baby hasn't moved down into your pelvis before your water breaks
Your baby comes out feet first or bottom first (breech delivery)
How can doctors tell if I have a prolapsed umbilical cord?
Doctors can usually see a prolapse when the umbilical cord is sticking out of the vagina. If the cord isn't sticking out, doctors suspect a prolapse if your baby has an unusual heartbeat.
How do doctors treat a prolapsed umbilical cord?
If the cord is sticking out of your vagina, your doctor will do a C-section Cesarean Delivery Cesarean delivery is surgical delivery of a baby by incision through a woman’s abdomen and uterus. In the United States, up to 30% of deliveries are cesarean. Doctors use a cesarean delivery... read more 
right away. Until surgery begins, a nurse or doctor holds the baby's body off of the cord so that the baby's blood supply isn't cut off.
If the cord isn't sticking out of your vagina, doctors will have you lie in a different position to take pressure off of the cord. You may need a C-section if this doesn't work.
