April 8th, 2025
Posted By
Rhett Fraser
Compressed umbilical cord injury.

The umbilical cord is, quite literally, a baby’s lifeline during pregnancy. The fetus depends on delivery of oxygen and nutrients via the umbilical cord, as well as the cord’s transportation of carbon dioxide, urea, and other waste products to the placenta.

“Cutting the cord” after birth is a joyful ritual, because the baby can now breathe and take in nutrition on its own. But the umbilical cord is still vitally important during the birth process, and a compressed umbilical cord can lead to serious, life-threatening injuries.

What is a Compressed Umbilical Cord?

Compression of the umbilical cord occurs when the cord is squeezed, which blocks blood flow between the fetus and the placenta. Depending on the seriousness of the compression and how long it lasts before it is relieved, the baby could suffer serious complications from a lack of oxygen and nutrients.

What Causes a Compressed Umbilical Cord?

There are a number of things that can cause a compressed umbilical cord injury, including:

  • Cord prolapse, in which the umbilical cord slips through the mother’s cervix before the baby, causing the cord to become compressed between the baby and the birth canal
  • Low amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios), which reduces the cushioning around the umbilical cord and increases the risk of compression
  • Nuchal cord, which occurs when the umbilical cord gets wrapped around the baby’s neck
  • True knots that may form in the umbilical cord, which are more likely in twin or other multiple pregnancies, or with an unusually long umbilical cord

Medical professionals may not be able to prevent compression of the umbilical cord, but if they fail to detect and manage the condition in a timely fashion, serious harm can result.

What Are Compressed Umbilical Cord Injuries?

Some of the injuries that can arise when an umbilical cord is compressed include:

  • Low birth weight from nutrient deprivation if cord compression is prolonged
  • Fetal hypoxia (lack of oxygen), leading to fetal distress and abnormal heart rate patterns
  • Aspiration of meconium (an infant’s first stool)
  • Acidosis (bodily fluids becoming too acidic)
  • Seizures
  • Brain damage (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy), including cerebral palsy
  • Death

While a compressed umbilical cord is not typically caused by a doctor’s action, failure of medical providers to detect and address umbilical cord compression may be medical malpractice.

Compressed Umbilical Cord Medical Malpractice

A compressed umbilical cord may happen on its own, but it is sufficiently common that doctors, nurses, and other providers should be aware of the signs. Umbilical cord compression occurs in about 10% of all deliveries, though most cases are mild and resolve without intervention. Compressed umbilical cord medical malpractice may arise in a number of scenarios, including:

  • Failure to monitor fetal distress or to recognize abnormal heart rate patterns that could indicate compression
  • Delaying response if a serious compression of the umbilical cord is detected
  • Using labor-inducing drugs like Pitocin improperly, causing overly strong contractions
  • Excessive force during delivery, including improper use of medical equipment like forceps or vacuum extractor
  • Failure to perform amnioinfusion (infusion of sterile fluid into the amniotic sac)
  • Inadequate prenatal care.

Some of the signs that doctors and nurses should be paying attention to include:

  • Variable decelerations of the heart rate on the fetal heart monitor
  • Abnormal fetal heart rate such as bradycardia or tachycardia
  • Fetal heart rate drop after the start of a contraction
  • Decreased or absent fetal movement before labor
  • Meconium-stained amniotic fluid, which can indicate fetal distress
  • Prolapsed umbilical cord
  • Low biophysical profile score, or non-reactive non-stress test, either of which can indicate that the fetus is not tolerating the uterine environment well

Depending on the circumstances, compression may need to be addressed by repositioning the mother, administering oxygen and/or intravenous fluids to the mother, amnioinfusion, adjusting medications like Pitocin, or performing an immediate C-section.

If a medical provider fails to monitor for possible umbilical cord compression, to recognize indicators of compression, or to address it, families may want to consider taking legal action to recover for their child’s injuries. Some injuries due to cord compression can cause a child to require lifelong care, which can be difficult to provide for without help.

What to Do if Your Child Suffered a Compressed Umbilical Cord Injury

If your child suffered an injury due to a compressed umbilical cord, you owe it to them to get them the best care possible. That may require holding the medical professionals responsible for their injury to account so you have the resources you need to provide for your child’s needs.

An experienced medical malpractice attorney can review the facts of your situation and help you determine whether it makes sense for you to file a medical malpractice claim. If it does, they will guide and advocate for you and your child at every step of the process. If you do not have a viable claim, at least you will know that you explored every avenue possible to get your child the help they need.

Work with an Experienced Oregon Medical Malpractice Attorney

To learn more about birth injuries like compressed umbilical cord injuries in Oregon and your options to get help for your child, contact the Fraser Law Firm today.