Causes of cord accidents or obstructed labour that is to say the baby gets stuck on its way either because it is too big or the mother’s bones are too narrow.

There is also umbilical cord prolapse-this is when part of the cord drops out of the birth canal especially when ‘waters’ break through, and knotting of the umbilical cord.

Knotting of the umbilical cord is fairly common in low developing countries like Uganda and happens in early pregnancy when the foetus has a lot of room to move around in the amniotic sac!