Abstract: Objective: To measure umbilical coiling index (UCI) postnatally and to study the association of normocoiling, hypo coiling and hyper coiling to maternal and perinatal outcome.
Method: Two hundred antenatal women who went into labour were studied and umbilical coiling index calculated at the time of delivery. UCI was determined by dividing the total number of coils by the totalumbilicalcordlengthincentimetres.Itsassociationwithselected maternal risk factors and fetal outcome were noted. The statistical tests were the Chi-square test and assessed with SPSS version 13.0 software and statistically analysed. P value of less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically signiï¬cant.
Results: The mean umbilical coiling index was found to be 52.87 + 9.40 cms. The mean number of coils per umbilical cord was found to be 10.19 + 1.38. The mean UCI was 0.19+0.1 coils/cm. The cut off for 10th percentile was 0.05and 19 patients (9.5%) had Hypocoiled Umbilical Cord. The cut off for 90th percentile was 0.32 and 20 patients (10.0%) had Hypercoiled Umbilical Cords. Hypocoiled cords were associated with Postdated Gestations, Oligohydramnios, Meconium stained liquor, Intrapartum fetal distress. While hypercoiling was associated with Pregnancy induced hypertension, Abruptio placentae, Fetal Growth Restriction, low birth weight, low APGAR scores & NICU admissions. There was no significant association between Maternal age, Gravidity, Maternal Anaemia, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Hypothyroidism, Polyhydramnios, PROM& mode of delivery.
Conclusion: Postnatal umbilical coiling index serves as a significant indicator of maternal risk factors and fetal outcome and therefore antenatal determination of UCI can help identify high risk pregnancies to be managed with greater vigilance and monitoring.
Indexed in Index Copernicus
