# Can a woman cut her own umbilical cord while still pregnant? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 18, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-cut-her-own-umbilical-cord-while-still-pregnant/456984 "2008-07-18T19:49:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-cut-her-own-umbilical-cord-while-still-pregnant/456984/1 "2008-07-18T19:49:45Z")
Don’t think this has been posted yet. [Here’s](http://timesdaily.com/article/20080715/NEWS/807150335/1011/NEWS01) a link to the story. > [@](#): > > A local woman has been arrested after she was accused of killing her unborn child by cutting the umbilical cord, authorities said Monday… > > “She said her water broke sometime Friday morning and then she started experiencing pain and bleeding and was taken to Helen Keller Hospital,” Tyler said. > > He said medical personnel at Keller Hospital, during the course of the baby’s delivery, discovered the umbilical cord had been “severed while still inside the mother’s uterus.” > > “Investigators believe the evidence demonstrates that the death of the infant is directly related to the intentional severing of the umbilical cord,” Tyler said. Is that even possible, assuming it wasn’t prolapsed? I know there’s really not that much to work with in the article (in addition to the question of whether she should be in jail), but does anyone know if and how the hell she could have done this, physically? ---
**Author:** ![Daerlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Daerlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daerlyn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-cut-her-own-umbilical-cord-while-still-pregnant/456984/2 "2008-07-18T21:31:05Z")
I am baffled. I am obviously not a medical professional, but I really don’t see how that’s logistically feasible. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-cut-her-own-umbilical-cord-while-still-pregnant/456984/3 "2008-07-18T21:43:44Z")
The principle danger of a premature rupture of membranes (“water” breaking) is a cord prolapse (the umbilical cord partially exiting the vagina) because the cord can be compressed, cutting off blood supply (circulation and oxygen). The fetal head, in a normal head-down position, can press the cord against maternal structure (pubic bone, cervical edge, etc.) if the cord is between. Even if the cord is not visible, it could be very near the vaginal opening. If this woman cut the cord and tucked it back up her vagina, I can easily imagine the blood loss killing the fetus in minutes. Cyn, OB/GYN RN and former Labor and Delivery nurse. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-cut-her-own-umbilical-cord-while-still-pregnant/456984/4 "2008-07-18T21:48:22Z")
They said “several pieces of evidence” were collected. I wonder if there was evidence of her actually trying to insert some sort of instrument. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-woman-cut-her-own-umbilical-cord-while-still-pregnant/456984/5 "2008-07-19T04:20:02Z")
Reach up there herself? That could be tricky. But with her new boyfriend handy to help out (the article says she was at his house), yeah, I could see it happening.