Velamentous cord insertion at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Background: An improper insertion of the umbilical cord to the placenta, especially velamentous cord insertion (VCI), can result in a variety of delivery and postnatal complications. Anomalous cord insertion has received little attention in many medical contexts so far. The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence and associated factors of velamentous cord insertion in singleton births at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 422 singleton births At the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UoGCSH). The study participants were chosen using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire and entered into epi-data version 3.1 before being transferred to SPSS version 26.0 for data cleansing and analysis. We used Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression to find factors associated with velamentous cord insertion. A p-value <0.2 and 0.05 were used as cut-off values of significance in the bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression models respectively. An Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% CI was reported for statistically significant variables. Result: The magnitude of velamentous cord insertion was 2.8% (95% CI = 1.72-4.13) in singleton pregnancies. Preeclampsia (AOR = 3.74 (1.02-13.68), and low birth weight (AOR = 2.25 (1.39-19.74) were significantly associated with VCI. Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of VCI was similar to the findings of previous studies. Early diagnosis and follow-up of mothers with pregnancies complicated with VCI for preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are highly recommended.