Umbilical cord accidents (UCA) are a significant cause of stillbirth. Although infrequent, litigation may occur when there is a poor outcome associated with UCA. With advances in imaging, the ability to identify UCA by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging raises awareness of the risk of a poor outcome. Management of a pregnancy with an identified UCA may require more fetal surveillance by both the mother and caregiver. This is especially important if there is a previous history of UCA with or without stillbirth. UCA should be an acknowledged risk which is part of prenatal screening. In the event of a poor outcome associated with UCA, it is recommended that the patient be fully informed of all prenatal information including images. Excellent communication with parents who are looking for answers after a tragic outcome may help to decrease litigation risk.
Keywords: Stillbirth; Stillbirth lawsuit; Stillbirth litigation; Umbilical cord accident; Umbilical cord ultrasound.
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