Hypercoiled umbilical cord torsion as a cause of fetal death: Case report

Abstract

Torsion of the umbilical cord as a cause of fetal death is a rare occurrence, with few reported cases.The cause is not clearly known, and it transpires mainly in the second trimester of pregnancy; the risk factors described are the length of the umbilical cord with increased number of twists.The case of a 37-year-old woman is reported, gravida 2 para 1, 23 weeks pregnant with ultrasound diagnosis of fetal death. Histopathology revealed hypercoiled umbilical cord torsion at the point where the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus, with occlusion of the lumen of the umbilical vein, as a cause of fetal death. Further research of this pathology is required to determine the risk factors and risk of recurrence in future pregnancies that will allow the preparation of antenatal fetal surveillance methods.