A cord prolapse is detected during labor. What is the immediate nursing action?

• A. Relieve cord compression by repositioning the mother (knee-chest or Trendelenburg) and call for help; prepare for emergency delivery
• B. Administer tocolytics to halt labor
• C. Place the patient in a supine position and continue with delivery
• D. Attempt to replace the cord manually and continue labor

Answer: (A)

When a cord prolapse occurs, the top priority is to relieve the pressure on the cord to preserve the fetus’s oxygen supply. Repositioning the mother into knee-chest or Trendelenburg uses gravity to shift the uterus off the cord, reducing compression on the cord and helping improve fetal perfusion. At the same time, you call for help and prepare for emergency delivery, because prolapsed cord is an obstetric emergency and rapid delivery is often needed.

This approach directly addresses the problem—unlike giving tocolytics, which won’t relieve cord compression; placing the patient flat on the back, which can worsen compression; or attempting to replace the cord manually as a sole action, which is not the immediate first step while arranging for delivery. If the cord is visible, keep it moist with sterile saline gauze while help arrives.