In prolapsed umbilical cord during labor, what is the immediate action to protect the fetus?

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Multiple Choice

In prolapsed umbilical cord during labor, what is the immediate action to protect the fetus?

Prolapsed umbilical cord is an obstetric emergency because the cord can be compressed as contractions occur, cutting off the fetus’s oxygen supply. The immediate goal is to relieve that compression to protect the fetus. Elevating the presenting part and relieving pressure on the cord achieves this directly: gently lifting the presenting part off the cord with a gloved hand reduces the squeeze on the cord, and positioning the mother (such as knee-chest or Trendelenburg) helps take pressure off the cord even more. Keep the cord moist with saline-soaked gauze and arrange rapid transport for delivery. Avoid heat to the cord, and avoid delaying delivery with medications like tocolytics.

Prolapsed umbilical cord is an obstetric emergency because the cord can be compressed as contractions occur, cutting off the fetus’s oxygen supply. The immediate goal is to relieve that compression to protect the fetus. Elevating the presenting part and relieving pressure on the cord achieves this directly: gently lifting the presenting part off the cord with a gloved hand reduces the squeeze on the cord, and positioning the mother (such as knee-chest or Trendelenburg) helps take pressure off the cord even more. Keep the cord moist with saline-soaked gauze and arrange rapid transport for delivery. Avoid heat to the cord, and avoid delaying delivery with medications like tocolytics.

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