Presentation
Antenatal scan
Patient Data
Normal antenatal scan with mean gestational age 21 weeks.
Normal grade I placenta.
The umbilical cord is draped around fetal neck with no complete turn. No cross-over of both sides of umbilical cord. The placental side of the cord is at the same side of the placenta.
Normal umbilical artery Doppler for gestational age.
Case Discussion
It is important to differentiate this common cord appearance from nuchal cord. The use of color Doppler is essential in tracing of umbilical cord in suspected cases of nuchal cord during the antenatal scan. In this appearance, the cord runs posterior and lateral to the neck on both sides, but not anteriorly. Both sides of the cord don't cross each other and the placental segment is along the same side of the placenta.
This appearance is different from nuchal cord, where the umbilical cord forms a 360° turn around fetal neck and both sides of umbilical cord cross each other forming a ring around fetal neck.