Maternal risk factors for abnormal vascular coiling of the umbilical cord

The objective of this paper is to identify maternal risk factors for abnorm al vascular coiling of the umbilical cord. The umbilical cords of 657 neona tes were examined and the coiling index determined by dividing the total nu mber of complete vascular coils by the length of the cord in cm. Obstetrica l history, delivery data, and neonatal outcome were also evaluated. The fre quency distribution of umbilical coiling index was normal (10th and 90th pe rcentile and mean +/- SD = 0.17, 0.37, and 0.26 +/- 0.09 coils/cm, respecti vely). Maternal risk factors for abnormal vascular coiling were extremes of age for hyper-coiling, obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus, and preecla mpsia for non-coiling. Hyper-coiled and non-coiled cords were significantly associated with adverse perinatal outcome (p < 0.001) and cesarean deliver y (p < 0.0001). Neonates whose mothers are old or young, obese, diabetic, o r have preeclampsia are likely to have hyper-coiled or non-coiled umbilical blood vessels.