What does it mean when a W-shaped pressure mark is visible on the fetal neck?

A life begins to receive the careful care of family members from the moment the sperm and egg combine. Mothers should undergo various examinations regularly during pregnancy to ensure the healthy growth of the baby. B-ultrasound is a basic method of prenatal examination, but the results of B-ultrasound examination are not something that parents without medical expertise can understand. Many parents have doubts about what the W-shaped pressure mark on the baby's neck means. Now let me explain it to you.

What does the W-shaped pressure mark on the baby's neck mean?

The W-shaped pressure mark on the fetal neck is considered to be the umbilical cord around the neck. Many babies have such a situation, which will not necessarily affect the choice of natural delivery in the future. If it is still early, some babies will recover automatically as they move around in the mother's womb. However, babies with the umbilical cord around their necks need to be extra careful about whether they are suffering from oxygen deficiency, so you should pay attention to the baby's fetal movements on a regular basis. If there is a decrease in fetal movement, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a physical examination immediately, and to have regular pregnancy checks.

If the umbilical cord of a very large fetus is wrapped around the neck for 2 circles or more, it is very easy to cause suffocation if a natural birth is chosen. Pay attention to observe the growth and development of the fetus during pregnancy. After 38 weeks of pregnancy, when the fetus is full-term, you can terminate the pregnancy and choose a cesarean section.

Common problems in confirming fetal umbilical cord around the neck using ultrasound

1. The time for ultrasonic diagnosis of fetal umbilical cord around the neck should be chosen before delivery. The closer the pregnant woman is to giving birth, the more reliable the results are (97% accuracy). Before 30 weeks of pregnancy, the umbilical cord of the fetus that is entangled due to fetal activity can be freed or re-entangled on its own (accuracy 80%).

2. If you find signs of the umbilical cord around the fetus' neck accompanied by bradycardia or irregular heartbeat, it indicates that the fetus is in distress and you should take immediate action.

3. During the examination, the short-axis cross-section of the fetal neck should be displayed as clearly as possible. The cross-sectional examination range of the neck should include both sides of the neck and the internal oblique muscles as much as possible to check whether the fetal umbilical cord is crossed.

4. During the scan, the camera should not apply pressure to the abdominal cavity to prevent the amniotic fluid around the fetus' neck from being squeezed and reduced, which would affect the diagnosis.

5. The U-shaped pressure mark on the neck should be distinguished from the V-shape formed by the skin folds at the junction of the neck and shoulders of slightly fat babies, and attention should be paid to near-field concentration and avoiding the influence of artifacts.

6. The simple appearance of U-shaped pressure marks on the back of the neck and colorful blood cannot be clearly diagnosed. As long as there is colorful blood or W-shaped pressure mark on the oblique muscle of the fetus' abdomen, it is certain. Because the fetal umbilical cord can be wrapped around the cheeks, front of the eyes and shoulders, not around the neck.

7. When the pregnant woman is lying down for examination, it is difficult to identify the umbilical cord around the neck because of the small amount of amniotic fluid in the pregnant woman. The examination can be changed to standing position. The force relationship can be used to make the amniotic fluid of the pregnant woman accumulate under the amniotic cavity to form a sound-transmitting window.

When the baby is grown to be able to move, it often moves in the warm uterus from time to time, which is the so-called fetal movement. Little do people know that there are also attached organs such as the embryo and fetal umbilical cord in the uterus. In particular, the fetal umbilical cord is likely to be wrapped around the fetus' neck due to fetal movement. However, the occurrence of umbilical cord around the neck does not necessarily affect the growth and development of the fetus. It needs to be distinguished through corresponding color ultrasound examination.