What is umbilical cord around neck? Umbilical cord encirclement means that the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck of the fetus when it is born. According to statistics, one in every 10 newborns in the world is born with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck. In most cases, umbilical cord wrapping around the neck will not cause harm to the fetus, but sometimes it can cause risks such as gestational hypertension, intrauterine dysplasia, and oligohydramnios. How to Diagnose Umbilicus