- Rare (1:5500 deliveries) (1),
usually occurring in late pregnancy or labor.
- Usually due to rupture of the
umbilical vein and may be due to:
- mechanical trauma
between fetal and maternal tissues.
- traction on a short
cord.
- traction on loops of
cord around the fetal neck.
- congenital weakness in
the vessel wall.
- Iatrogenic (percutaneous
umbilical cord sampling).
Fetal death in utero due to compression of the umbilical vessels by
increased pressure or blood filling the Wharton's jelly in the substance of the
cord.
- High perinatal loss (47%)
(1).
- Dippel AL. Hematomas of the
umbilical cord. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1940;70:51.