Clinical trial NCT05727241: Three-dimensional Umbilical Cord Coiling Index
Official title: The Effect of Three-dimensional Umbilical Cord Coiling Index on Obstetrical and Neonatal Outcomes: a Prospective Study
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Conditions: Umbilical Cord Issue
Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Fetal Distress
Keywords: Coiling index
Neonatal outcome
Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Antepartum screening
Lead sponsor: Western Galilee Hospital-Nahariya
Sponsor class: OTHER_GOV
First posted: 2023-02-14
Enrollment: 250
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 45
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: This study will include low-risk singleton pregnancies, above 24 weeks of pregnancy, women with normal anatomical scan results and normal aneuploidy screening results. Women who have polyhydramnios, Oligohydramnios or intrauterine growth restriction at the time of recruitment will be ruled out.

Brief summary: Previous studies have shown that abnormal coiling of the umbilical cord is associated with adverse perinatal outcome. For example, an umbilical cord that is non-coiled increases the chance of fetal morbidity and mortality, moreover, they have shown that the lack of the usual coiled umbilical cord configuration may result in an umbilical cord that is structurally less able to withstand external mechanical stress, on the other hand, studies from recent years show that hypercoiling - excessive coiling of the umbilical cord is associated with poor obstetric outcomes, such as fetal distress at birth, meconium staining, fetal acidosis, premature birth, intrauterine growth disorder and even fetal death.

The studies carried out on the calculation of UCI include performing these measurements in two dimensions, including Doppler activation, but no studies were carried out in which three dimensions were used. The purpose of the study is to measure UCI using a 3D method in a random sample of 250 patients beyond 24 week of gestation, and to compare pregnancies with hypercoiling, hypocoiling or with a normal number of coils in terms of birth outcomes.

Detailed description: The umbilical cord connects the growing fetus to the placenta and contains 3 blood vessels, 2 arteries and a vein. The umbilical cord is protected by a layer of Wharton jelly and is characterized by being coiled. This coiling provides the umbilical cord with strength and flexibility simultaneously, and as a result lowers the risk of complications such as torsion of the umbilical cord.

The reason for the formation of this coiling is unknown, but there are many hypotheses such as mobility and rotation of the fetus around the axis of the umbilical cord, a different growth pattern of the blood vessels in the umbilical cord and a special arrangement of the muscles in the walls of the arteries of the umbilical cord.

Umbilical cord index (UCI) is the distance between one coil of the umbilical cord. it is calculated from the inner edge of the wall of an umbilical cord artery or vein to the outer edge of the same vessel in the next coil, the direction is from the edge of the placenta to the fetus. The final value is the average of three readings in three different segments of the umbilical cord.

Previous studies have shown that abnormal coiling of the umbilical cord is associated with adverse perinatal outcome. For example, an umbilical cord that is non-coiled increases the chance of fetal morbidity and mortality, moreover, they have shown that the lack of the usual coiled umbilical cord configuration may result in an umbilical cord that is structurally less able to withstand external mechanical stress, on the other hand, studies from recent years show that hypercoiling - excessive coiling of the umbilical cord is associated with poor obstetric outcomes, such as fetal distress at birth, meconium staining, fetal acidosis, premature birth, intrauterine growth disorder and even fetal death.

The studies carried out on the calculation of UCI include performing these measurements in two dimensions, including Doppler activation, but no studies were carried out in which three dimensions were used. The purpose of the study is to measure UCI using a 3D method in a random sample of 250 patients beyond 24 week of gestation, and to compare pregnancies with hypercoiling, hypocoiling or with a normal number of coils in terms of birth outcomes.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Singleton pregnancy
* Pregnancy week \> or = 24.0

Exclusion Criteria:

* Twin pregnancy
* Pregnancy week\<24
* Single umbilical cord
* Insufficient prenatal care
* Abnormal anatomical fetal findings, abnormal results of aneuploidy screening
* Premature rupture of membranes
* Polyhydramnios or Oligohydramnios at the time of recruitment.
* Intrauterine growth restriction at the time of recruitment

Primary outcomes:
measure: Intrauterine growth restriction
timeFrame: 1 year
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Two-dimensional umbilical cord index
timeFrame: 1 year
measure: Doppler index of the umbilical cord
timeFrame: 1 year
measure: fetal distress during delivery
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Meconium staining
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Delivery mode
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Cord pH
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: APGAR score
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Newborn intensive care unit admission
timeFrame: 2 years
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Nahariya
country: Israel
facility: Galilee Medical Center
state: Hazafon
Study officials:
affiliation: Galilee Medical Center
name: Marwan Odeh, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Chitra T, Sushanth YS, Raghavan S. Umbilical coiling index as a marker of perinatal outcome: an analytical study. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2012;2012:213689. doi: 10.1155/2012/213689. Epub 2012 Feb 14.
citation: Ma'ayeh M, McClennen E, Chamchad D, Geary M, Brest N, Gerson A. Hypercoiling of the umbilical cord in uncomplicated singleton pregnancies. J Perinat Med. 2018 Aug 28;46(6):593-598. doi: 10.1515/jpm-2017-0034.
citation: Strong TH Jr, Elliott JP, Radin TG. Non-coiled umbilical blood vessels: a new marker for the fetus at risk. Obstet Gynecol. 1993 Mar;81(3):409-11.
citation: Degani S, Lewinsky RM, Berger H, Spiegel D. Sonographic estimation of umbilical coiling index and correlation with Doppler flow characteristics. Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Dec;86(6):990-3. doi: 10.1016/0029-7844(95)00307-d.
citation: Sharma B, Bhardwaj N, Gupta S, Gupta PK, Verma A, Malviya K. Association of umbilical coiling index by colour Doppler ultrasonography at 18-22 weeks of gestation and perinatal outcome. J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2012 Dec;62(6):650-4. doi: 10.1007/s13224-012-0230-0. Epub 2012 Aug 17.
citation: Rana J, Ebert GA, Kappy KA. Adverse perinatal outcome in patients with an abnormal umbilical coiling index. Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Apr;85(4):573-7. doi: 10.1016/0029-7844(94)00435-G.
citation: Machin GA, Ackerman J, Gilbert-Barness E. Abnormal umbilical cord coiling is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Pediatr Dev Pathol. 2000 Sep-Oct;3(5):462-71. doi: 10.1007/s100240010103.
citation: de Laat MW, Franx A, van Alderen ED, Nikkels PG, Visser GH. The umbilical coiling index, a review of the literature. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2005 Feb;17(2):93-100. doi: 10.1080/14767050400028899.