• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Birth Injury Lawyers Alliance

Just another WordPress site

Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer
For a Free Consultation
TOLL FREE: 1-800-300-BILA (2452)
  • Home
  • Birth Injuries
    • Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
      • Early Signs of CP in New Born Babies
    • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
    • Jaundice, Kernicterus & Hyperbilirubinemia
    • Hypoglycemia in Babies
    • Shoulder Dystocia Complications
    • Failure to Progress During Labour and Delivery
    • Negligence in Antenatal (Prenatal) Care
    • Other Birth Injuries
  • Legal Team
    • Alliance Lawyers
    • In the Community
    • How to Become Involved
    • Office Locations
      • British Columbia
      • Edmonton
      • Manitoba
      • Ontario
      • Nova Scotia
  • Lawsuits
  • Case Results
  • FAQ
  • Support
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Birth Injuries
    • Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
      • Early Signs of CP in New Born Babies
    • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
    • Jaundice, Kernicterus & Hyperbilirubinemia
    • Hypoglycemia in Babies
    • Shoulder Dystocia Complications
    • Failure to Progress During Labour and Delivery
    • Negligence in Antenatal (Prenatal) Care
    • Other Birth Injuries
  • Legal Team
    • Alliance Lawyers
    • In the Community
    • How to Become Involved
    • Office Locations
      • British Columbia
      • Edmonton
      • Manitoba
      • Ontario
      • Nova Scotia
  • Lawsuits
  • Case Results
  • FAQ
  • Support
  • Blog
  • Contact
Call
Contact
Blog

May 11, 2022 By Charles Gluckstein Leave a Comment

True Knot in Umbilical Cord: Long Term Effects

true knot in umbilical cord long term effects

Every pregnant mother hopes that things will go perfectly with her pregnancy, but sadly there are many things that can go wrong during a pregnancy. In most cases, proper monitoring and medical care during pregnancy, labour, and delivery can prevent or reduce the risk of serious complications – and increase the likelihood of a safe, healthy pregnancy and delivery. Unfortunately, there are situations where a doctor fails to diagnose or treat a condition, one such being true knots.

A true knot occurs when the umbilical cord loops around itself during pregnancy as the fetus moves around in the amniotic fluid. When that knot tightens, it can compress the blood vessels in the umbilical cord, cutting off the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the fetus. This can lead to death, or to long-term effects such as cerebral palsy, intellectual impairments, and developmental disorders. 

While true knots cannot be prevented, medical professionals can and should monitor for signs of a knot in the umbilical cord. If a true knot is diagnosed, then doctors should be prepared to intervene to reduce the likelihood of death or brain damage. Healthcare providers who fail to do so may be liable for medical negligence.

What Is a True Knot in the Umbilical Cord?

During pregnancy, the umbilical cord is vital to the fetus’ growth and survival. The umbilical cord attaches to the placenta to transfer blood, oxygen and nutrition from mother to baby. It also transfers deoxygenated blood from the fetus into the placenta.

A cord knot is exactly what it sounds like: a place in an umbilical cord that gets tied. A true knot occurs when a cord knot tightens.

While true knots in umbilical cords are relatively rare, they can cause serious complications. A knot in the umbilical cord can cut off nutrients and oxygen to the growing fetus. A true knot can also increase the likelihood of fetal death and brain injury from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), as blood vessels are compressed when a knot tightens.

There are certain risk factors for umbilical cord knots, including:

  • Identical twins
  • High levels of amniotic fluid
  • Smaller than average baby
  • A longer than typical umbilical cord
  • Advanced maternal age
  • Two or more previous pregnancies

A true knot may be detected by an ultrasound, or through heart rate and activity monitoring.  For example, if a fetus’ heart rate is low or inconsistent, that may be a sign of a problem with blood flow to and from the placenta due to a cord knot. If signs of a true knot are present, then a mother may be admitted to the hospital for closer monitoring and to prevent sudden fetal distress. A cesarean section may be necessary.

Long-Term Effects of True Knot

While true knots occur in less than 2% of all pregnancies, they carry serious potential complications. Most significantly, a true knot in the umbilical cord is associated with higher rates of intrauterine fetal demise (death). It is also linked to low APGAR scores, preterm deliveries, c-sections, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid.

The long-term effects of a true knot depend on the level of damage caused by the presence of a cord knot. A tighter knot may cause acute hypoxia (lack of oxygen in the tissues), which can lead to infant death. A looser true knot may result in chronic mild hypoxia, or lower levels of oxygen deprivation over time.

Oxygen deprivation, particularly during labour and delivery, can cause complications that are similar to HIE, which occurs when an infant’s brain is deprived of oxygen during the birthing process. The long-term effects of umbilical cord knots may include:

  • Cerebral palsy
  • Neurological, behavioral, and developmental issues, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Sensory issues 
  • Seizures

Even a relatively mild case of hypoxia linked to a true knot can cause long-term neurodevelopmental challenges. These complications can often be avoided with appropriate monitoring during pregnancy and labour, and medical intervention when necessary to avoid brain damage or even death. A c-section is often the safest way to deliver a baby in this situation.

Failure to monitor as part of antenatal care, particularly in pregnancies that are at high risk for the development of true knots, may be considered medical negligence. Similarly, if medical professionals do not intervene when a true knot is present and there are warning signs of fetal distress, it may be medical negligence.

Talk to a Birth Injury Lawyer Today

When an umbilical cord knot tightens, it can cause serious complications for the baby – including brain damage and death. The long-term effects of a true knot can be devastating, requiring lifelong care and therapies.

If your child has suffered a birth injury related to a true knot in the umbilical cord, you may be entitled to compensation for medical negligence. HIE lawyers at BILA can advocate for you and your family. With offices throughout Canada, we offer highly-skilled, experienced, and compassionate representation for families impacted by true knots.

charles-e-gluckstein
Charles Gluckstein

Toronto birth injury lawyer Charles Gluckstein was appointed President of the Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association from 2013-2014. Since 2014, Best Lawyers® International has consistently recognized him as a leader in the personal injury field. In 2014 he was awarded the LEXPERT Zenith Award for Leading Personal Injury Lawyer in Practice Excellence, in recognition of thought leadership and the setting of new standards for the Personal Injury Bar. In its annual publication, the Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory has listed Charles as being repeatedly recommended by his peers in the area of personal injury for the Toronto region.

Filed Under: Birth Injuries

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Take the First Steps Towards Peace of Mind

Talking with an experienced birth injury attorney about your child is a great first step in obtaining peace of mind. Consultations with our team of lawyers are always free and always confidential.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Practice Areas

  • Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
  • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
  • Jaundice, Kernicterus & Hyperbilirubinemia
  • Autism Caused by Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
  • Hypoglycemia in Babies
  • Brachial Plexus Injury Lawyer
  • Delayed Diagnosis of Heart Defects
  • Brachial Plexus & Erb’s Palsy Injury
  • Failure to Diagnose or Treat Preeclampsia
  • Fetal & Neonatal Stroke
  • Negligent Resuscitation of a Newborn
  • Meconium Aspiration Syndrome Lawyer
  • Newborn Infections
  • Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)
  • Trauma from Forceps & Vacuum
  • HIE Whole Body Cooling Treatment for Babies
  • Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome

Footer

Quick Links

  • Types of Birth Injuries
  • Legal Team
  • Case Results
  • Lawsuits
  • FAQ
  • Cerebral Palsy Support and Resources in Canada
  • Blog
  • Contact a BILA Lawyer

Canada Birth Injury Lawyers

TOLL FREE: 1-800-300-BILA (2452)

Sign-up And Get Notified Every Time We Post!

Copyright © 2022. Birth Injury Lawyers Alliance of Canada. All Rights Reserved.

Site Map|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use