J Clin Gynecol Obstet

Journal of Clinical Gynecology and Obstetrics, ISSN 1927-1271 print, 1927-128X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Gynecol Obstet and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.jcgo.org

Original Article

Volume 1, Number 4-5, October 2012, pages 57-62

Length of the Umbilical Cord and Perinatal Outcomes in Japanese Singleton Pregnancies Delivered at Greater Than or Equal to 34 Weeks’ Gestation

**Table 1.** Clinical Characteristics and Findings of Placentae of the Japanese Women who Gave Birth to Singleton Babies at 34 - 41 weeks’ Gestation
Numbers	11,029
Maternal age (years)	32.8 ± 5.2
Nulliparity	5,121 (46.4)
Gestational age at delivery (weeks)	38.5 ± 1.5
Neonatal birth weight (g)	3,024 ± 413
Umbilical cord length (cm)	56.2 ± 11.7
Placental weight (g)	589 ± 114

Table 1. Clinical Characteristics and Findings of Placentae of the Japanese Women who Gave Birth to Singleton Babies at 34 - 41 weeks’ Gestation

Numbers

11,029

Maternal age (years)

32.8 ± 5.2

Nulliparity

5,121 (46.4)

Gestational age at delivery (weeks)

38.5 ± 1.5

Neonatal birth weight (g)

3,024 ± 413

Umbilical cord length (cm)

56.2 ± 11.7

Placental weight (g)

589 ± 114

**Table 2.** Clinical Characteristics of the Japanese Singleton Pregnancies Delivered at 34 - 41 Weeks’ Gestation With Normal, Short and Long Umbilical Cords
	Normal umbilical cord	Short umbilical cord	P value	Long umbilical cord	P value
Data are presented as number (%) or mean ± SD. P-value vs. normal umbilical cords group by the Χ² test or the Student’s t-test.
(Length of umbilical cord)	(45 - 68 cm)	(19 - 38 cm)		(74 - 133 cm)
Numbers	9809	96		548
Maternal age
Average (years)	32.8 ± 5.3	32.1 ± 4.8	0.16	32.9 ± 4.6	0.21
< 20 years	151 (1.5)	0 (0)	0.22	6 (1.1)	0.41
≥ 35 years	2438 (24.9)	32 (33.3)	0.08	151 (27.6)	0.16
Nulliparity	5099 (52.0)	46 (47.9)	0.43	277 (50.5)	0.51
History of in vitro fertilization use	63 (0.6)	9 (9.4)	< 0.01	19 (3.5)	< 0.01
Maternal complications
Hypertensive disorders	182 (1.9)	4 (4.2)	0.1	14 (2.6)	0.24
Geatstional diabetes	34 (0.3)	1 (1.0)	0.25	4 (0.7)	0.15

Table 2. Clinical Characteristics of the Japanese Singleton Pregnancies Delivered at 34 - 41 Weeks’ Gestation With Normal, Short and Long Umbilical Cords

Normal umbilical cord

Short umbilical cord

P value

Long umbilical cord

P value

Data are presented as number (%) or mean ± SD. P-value vs. normal umbilical cords group by the Χ² test or the Student’s t-test.

(Length of umbilical cord)

(45 - 68 cm)

(19 - 38 cm)

(74 - 133 cm)

Numbers

9809

548

Maternal age

Average (years)

32.8 ± 5.3

32.1 ± 4.8

0.16

32.9 ± 4.6

0.21

< 20 years

151 (1.5)

0 (0)

0.22

6 (1.1)

0.41

≥ 35 years

2438 (24.9)

32 (33.3)

0.08

151 (27.6)

0.16

Nulliparity

5099 (52.0)

46 (47.9)

0.43

277 (50.5)

0.51

History of in vitro fertilization use

63 (0.6)

9 (9.4)

< 0.01

19 (3.5)

< 0.01

Maternal complications

Hypertensive disorders

182 (1.9)

4 (4.2)

0.1

14 (2.6)

0.24

Geatstional diabetes

34 (0.3)

1 (1.0)

0.25

4 (0.7)

0.15

**Table 3.** Perinatal Outcomes of the Japanese Singleton Pregnancies Delivered at 34 - 41 Weeks’ Gestation With Normal, Short and Long Umbilical Cords
	Normal umbilical cord	Short umbilical cord	P value	Long umbilical cord	P value
Data are presented as number (%) or mean ± SD. P-value vs. normal umbilical cords group by the Χ² test or the Student’s t-test.
(Length of umbilical cord)	(45 - 68 cm)	(19 - 38 cm)		(74 - 133 cm)
Numbers	9,809	96		548
Gestational age at delivery (weeks)	38.1 ± 2.6	37.8 ± 2.4	0.23	37.9 ± 2.5	0.11
Perinatal complications
Oligohydramnios	158 (1.6)	1 (1.0)	0.66	11 (2.0)	0.48
Polyhydramnios	23 (0.2)	0 (0)	0.63	1 (0.2)	0.81
Non-reassuring fetal status	363 (3.7)	3 (3.1)	0.77	27 (4.9)	0.14
Placental abruption	73 (0.7)	1 (1.0)	0.74	2 (0.4)	0.31
Intrauterine fetal death	5 (0.1)	0 (0)	0.82	0 (0)	0.6
Placental weight (g)	590 ± 99	492 ± 115	< 0.01	672 ± 108	< 0.01
Abnormal placenta/umbilical cord
Placenta previa	81 (0.8)	0 (0)	0.37	3 (0.5)	0.48
Circumvallate placenta	129 (1.3)	2 (2.1)	0.51	11 (2.0)	0.17
Succenturiate lobes of placenta	67 (0.7)	0 (0)	0.42	9 (1.6)	0.01
Velamentous cord insertion	93 (0.9)	1 (1.0)	0.93	5 (0.9)	0.93
Single umbilical artery	12 (0.1)	0 (0)	0.73	2 (0.4)	0.13
Nuchal cord ≥ 2 times	311 (3.2)	0 (0)	0.08	157 (28.6)	< 0.01
True umbilical knots	31 (0.3)	0 (0)	0.58	21 (3.8)	< 0.01
Prolapse/fore-lying of the cord	13 (0.1)	0 (0)	0.72	2 (0.4)	0.16
Delivery mode
Vacuum/forceps	661 (6.7)	8 (8.3)	0.54	51 (9.3)	0.43
Elective Cesarean	811 (8.3)	7 (17.7)	0.73	33 (6.0)	0.06
Emergent Cesarean	1,107 (11.3)	19 (19.8)	< 0.01	37 (6.8)	< 0.01
Neonatal outcome
Neonatal birth weight (g)	3,032 ± 468	2,668 ± 550	< 0.01	3,018 ± 447	0.28
Light for gestational age	846 (3.6)	12 (12.2)	0.18	42 (7.7)	0.43
Heavy for gestational age	545 (5.6)	0 (0)	0.02	41 (7.5)	0.06
Apgar score < 7 (1 min)	142 (1.4)	1 (1.0)	0.74	14 (2.6)	0.04
Apgar score < 7 (5 min)	26 (0.3)	0 (0)	0.01	1 (0.2)	0.71
Chromosomal aberration	6 (0.1)	0 (0)	0.81	1 (0.2)	0.29
Postpartum hemorrhage ≥ 1,000 mL	397 (4.0)	6 (6.3)	0.28	36 (6.6)	< 0.01

Table 3. Perinatal Outcomes of the Japanese Singleton Pregnancies Delivered at 34 - 41 Weeks’ Gestation With Normal, Short and Long Umbilical Cords

Normal umbilical cord

Short umbilical cord

P value

Long umbilical cord

P value

Data are presented as number (%) or mean ± SD. P-value vs. normal umbilical cords group by the Χ² test or the Student’s t-test.

(Length of umbilical cord)

(45 - 68 cm)

(19 - 38 cm)

(74 - 133 cm)

Numbers

9,809

548

Gestational age at delivery (weeks)

38.1 ± 2.6

37.8 ± 2.4

0.23

37.9 ± 2.5

0.11

Perinatal complications

Oligohydramnios

158 (1.6)

1 (1.0)

0.66

11 (2.0)

0.48

Polyhydramnios

23 (0.2)

0 (0)

0.63

1 (0.2)

0.81

Non-reassuring fetal status

363 (3.7)

3 (3.1)

0.77

27 (4.9)

0.14

Placental abruption

73 (0.7)

1 (1.0)

0.74

2 (0.4)

0.31

Intrauterine fetal death

5 (0.1)

0 (0)

0.82

0 (0)

0.6

Placental weight (g)

590 ± 99

492 ± 115

< 0.01

672 ± 108

< 0.01

Abnormal placenta/umbilical cord

Placenta previa

81 (0.8)

0 (0)

0.37

3 (0.5)

0.48

Circumvallate placenta

129 (1.3)

2 (2.1)

0.51

11 (2.0)

0.17

Succenturiate lobes of placenta

67 (0.7)

0 (0)

0.42

9 (1.6)

0.01

Velamentous cord insertion

93 (0.9)

1 (1.0)

0.93

5 (0.9)

0.93

Single umbilical artery

12 (0.1)

0 (0)

0.73

2 (0.4)

0.13

Nuchal cord ≥ 2 times

311 (3.2)

0 (0)

0.08

157 (28.6)

< 0.01

True umbilical knots

31 (0.3)

0 (0)

0.58

21 (3.8)

< 0.01

Prolapse/fore-lying of the cord

13 (0.1)

0 (0)

0.72

2 (0.4)

0.16

Delivery mode

Vacuum/forceps

661 (6.7)

8 (8.3)

0.54

51 (9.3)

0.43

Elective Cesarean

811 (8.3)

7 (17.7)

0.73

33 (6.0)

0.06

Emergent Cesarean

1,107 (11.3)

19 (19.8)

< 0.01

37 (6.8)

< 0.01

Neonatal outcome

Neonatal birth weight (g)

3,032 ± 468

2,668 ± 550

< 0.01

3,018 ± 447

0.28

Light for gestational age

846 (3.6)

12 (12.2)

0.18

42 (7.7)

0.43

Heavy for gestational age

545 (5.6)

0 (0)

0.02

41 (7.5)

0.06

Apgar score < 7 (1 min)

142 (1.4)

1 (1.0)

0.74

14 (2.6)

0.04

Apgar score < 7 (5 min)

26 (0.3)

0 (0)

0.01

1 (0.2)

0.71

Chromosomal aberration

6 (0.1)

0 (0)

0.81

1 (0.2)

0.29

Postpartum hemorrhage ≥ 1,000 mL

397 (4.0)

6 (6.3)

0.28

36 (6.6)

< 0.01

**Table 4.** Adjusted Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals in Cases With Long Umbilical Cords Using Logistic Multivariable Regression Analysis
	P value	Adjusted OR (95% CI)
OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.
Abnormal placenta/umbilical cord
Succenturiate lobes of placenta	0.11	1.74 (0.87 - 3.5)
Nuchal cord ≥ 2 times	< 0.01	9.16 (7.4 - 11)
True umbilical knots	< 0.01	8.95 (5.1 - 16)
Vacuum/forceps delivery	0.16	1.24 (0.92 - 1.7)
Emergent Cesarean delivery	0.08	0.74 (0.53 - 1.0)
Neonatal Apgar score < 7 (1 min)	0.14	1.51 (0.87 - 2.6)

Table 4. Adjusted Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals in Cases With Long Umbilical Cords Using Logistic Multivariable Regression Analysis

P value

Adjusted OR (95% CI)

OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.

Abnormal placenta/umbilical cord

Succenturiate lobes of placenta

0.11

1.74 (0.87 - 3.5)

Nuchal cord ≥ 2 times

< 0.01

9.16 (7.4 - 11)

True umbilical knots

< 0.01

8.95 (5.1 - 16)

Vacuum/forceps delivery

0.16

1.24 (0.92 - 1.7)

Emergent Cesarean delivery

0.08

0.74 (0.53 - 1.0)

Neonatal Apgar score < 7 (1 min)

0.14

1.51 (0.87 - 2.6)