Introduction: To established the link between the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck (nuchal cord- NC) and the neurodevelopmental (ND) outcome  of the child.

Methods:

We studied 275 newborns over the eight-year period - one group of 160 newborns with one or multiple NC loops (study group), and another group of 115 newborns with no NC (control group). Newborns examined in this study are from normal course of pregnancies and deliveries and both genders. Both groups of newborns were monitored through pediatric clinic, whereby the assessment of their neurodevelopmental outcome over the one year period was conducted using the Munich Functional Developmental Diagnosis (MFDD protocol).

Results:

Based on MFDD protocol, there was statistically significant ND deviation in the study group comparing to the control group. ND outcome at the age of 1 year is associated with pathological CTG (fetal heart rate) results. Statisticaly significant influence was observed in tightened umbilical cord wrapped around the neck (tCAN - tight cord around the neck) on the ND outcome at the age of 1 year. There was significant correlation between t-CAN and ND outcome. Our study has shown that higher tCAN phase is resulting in greater ND deviation (p <0.001). Control group with no tCAN had  normal ND outcome in 95.65 % of cases.

Conclusion:

Good prenatal NC diagnostic, using doppler and color ultrasound as well as cardiotocography, is important in assessment of severity of clinical picture of newborn and deciding about the delivery methode.