One has to wonder what thoughts prehistoric humans had when confronted with the still-birth of a baby entangled in its umbilical cord. Some insights from more recent times suggest the umbilical cord represented an omen, a sacred talisman, predictor of future fertility. In Europe, Australia, Africa, and Hawaii, the umbilical cord was dried and soaked in water for consumption to ensure future fertility.
Chinese literature suggests the cord had medicinal properties.
Early descriptions of fetal loss from cord entanglement date as far back as 200 years ago. By the 1800s, many observations were recorded of distressed fetuses born with cord entanglement and cord abnormalities. Today, the field of obstetrics is confronted with the issue of umbilical cord complications - a timeless, almost prehistoric example of how imperfect reproductive evolution sometimes can be. Premature birth, congenital anomalies and toxemia still challenge the obstetrical community. Because umbilical cord accidents may represent a small number of fetal deaths, the motivation to investigate this reproductive tragedy may not be seen as urgent.