Prolapse of the umbilical cord is best described as which of the following?

• A. Umbilical cord wraps around the fetal chest.
• B. Umbilical cord lies below the presenting part, risking fetal hypoxia.
• C. Umbilical cord is abnormally short.
• D. Umbilical cord remains attached to placenta after birth.

Answer: (B)

The situation tested is that when the umbilical cord slips into the birth canal ahead of the presenting part, it can be compressed as the baby descends, cutting off blood flow and risking fetal hypoxia. The best description is that the cord lies below the presenting part, which creates direct pressure and jeopardizes oxygen delivery to the fetus. This underscores why prolapse is a true obstetric emergency requiring rapid management to relieve compression and move toward delivery. The other scenarios reflect different issues: a cord wrapped around the fetal neck is a nuchal cord, a short cord is a separate anomaly, and remaining attached to the placenta after birth is a postpartum condition not describing prolapse during labor.