Is umbilical coiling genetically determined?

OBJECTIVE

Abnormal umbilical cord coiling is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes; however, the etiology of the umbilical coiling pattern is poorly understood.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort of all twin deliveries >20 weeks in 2014. Pregnancies were dichotomized by chorionicity and the umbilical coiling index (UCI) and placental cord insertion location were compared. In cases with one or both cords hypercoiled, the direction and pattern of coiling were compared by chorionicity. A similar analysis was performed stratified by zygosity.

RESULTS

Three hundred sisty two twin pairs were included; 26 (7.2%) monochorionic and 174 (87.0%) definitively dizygotic. Concordance in the UCI and coiling category were similar between dichorionic and monochorionic as well as dizygous and monozygous gestations, (73.2% vs 80.8%, p = 0.399 and 71.4% vs 80.8%, p = 0.399, respectively). Analyses of the coiling direction and pattern also demonstrated no difference by chorionicity or zygosity.

CONCLUSION

These data do not support a genetic basis for umbilical cord coiling.