Lean cord: clinical relevance and limitations of diagnosis

Lean cord is a rare structural abnormality, but it negatively affects perinatal outcomes. According to our data higher incidence of acute hypoxia, meconium stained amniotic fluid, low Apgar scores and retarded psychomotor development can be seen in those cases with a lean cord. The necessity of antenatal detecting is obvious. But the first point we should do is to work out a postnatal criterion in order to have something for control while working for antenatal criteria. Umbilical cord is lean if the lean index is less than 0,55 in male fetuses and less than 0,49 in female fetuses.