Umbilical cord diameter percentile curves and their correlation to birth weight and placental pathology

Wharton s jelly absence: a possible cause of stillbirth

“…They found that the umbilical cord diameter increases as the gestational age progresses until 28 weeks when it reaches a plateau at approximately 1.0 cm. These findings are in agreement with the antenatal ultrasound assessment of the umbilical cord that describes an increase in diameter with gestational age until the third trimester 9. Using Proctor’s nomogram, they identified and classified the umbilical cord diameter as thin (< 10 th percentile), average (10 th– 90 th percentile) and thick (> 90 th percentile), and concluded that the umbilical cord components were responsible for the diameter variation.…”

“…After that, a reduction in the diameter of the umbilical cord can be observed due to the water content of Wharton’s jelly at the end of the pregnancy 8. Over a 1 year period, Proctor et al9 studied 497 umbilical cords of gestational ages ranging from 18 weeks to 41 weeks. They found that the umbilical cord diameter increases as the gestational age progresses until 28 weeks when it reaches a plateau at approximately 1.0 cm.…”

“…Pathologic studies and case reports demonstrated that a thin umbilical cord is associated with oligohydramnios, fetal distress, and adverse pregnancy outcome 9. Silver et al10 reported that in post-term pregnancies, the umbilical cord diameter is smaller in patients with oligohydramnios compared with normal amniotic fluid.…”

“…Raio et al11 found an association between the presence of a thin umbilical cord and the delivery of an infant who is small for its gestational age. Proctor et al9 showed that there was a relationship between the umbilical cord diameter and gross placental pathologic features. A thin umbilical cord was associated with low placental weight percentile, a single umbilical artery, and a marginal umbilical cord insertion.…”

Residual blood volume in the umbilical cord of extremely premature infants

“…The present mean umbilical cord diameter findings were supported by Proctor et al ., who reported that distinct growth in the umbilical cord diameter occurs until 28 weeks of gestation, and that umbilical cord diameter remained relatively stable at 1.2 cm until 40 weeks of gestation . Proctor et al .…”