A survey of equine abortion, stillbirth and neonatal death in the UK from 1988 to 1997.
Authors: Smith K C, Blunden A S, Whitwell K E, Dunn K A, Wales A D
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Over a decade of diagnostic submissions to the Animal Health Trust revealed that umbilical cord abnormalities dominate the landscape of equine pregnancy loss in the UK, accounting for nearly 40% of 1,252 examined cases—with cord torsion alone responsible for 35.7% and the long cord/cervical pole ischaemia disorder for a further 3.1%. Through systematic categorisation of laboratory records from 1988 to 1997, researchers identified other significant contributors including twinning (6.0%), intrapartum stillbirth (13.7%), and infectious placentitis (9.8%), with *E. coli* and *Streptococcus zooepidemicus* emerging as the predominant bacterial isolates; viral causes, particularly EHV-1 and EHV-4, accounted for 6.5% of losses. These findings underscore a critical gap in our understanding of cord pathophysiology and highlight the importance of submitting intact fetuses and placentae for post-mortem examination, as definitive diagnosis proves possible in the majority of cases where complete specimens are available. For breeding operations and veterinary practitioners managing mares at risk, the striking prevalence of mechanical cord-related losses suggests that targeted research into genetic, developmental and environmental factors influencing umbilical cord length and integrity could yield significant improvements in pregnancy survival rates.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Umbilical cord torsion is by far the leading cause of foal loss in UK broodmares; breeders should focus on understanding factors that influence cord length and torsion risk in their management protocols
- •Always submit both fetus and placenta for diagnostic examination to achieve definitive diagnosis and improve disease surveillance at the population level
- •Placentitis and neonatal infections are important but secondary concerns; primary prevention should focus on the umbilical cord-related pathologies through continued research into genetic and environmental risk factors
Key Findings
- •Umbilical cord torsion and related disorders were the most common causes of equine abortion and neonatal death, accounting for 38.8% of cases (35.7% torsion, 3.1% long cord disorder)
- •Intrapartum stillbirth (13.7%) and placentitis associated with infection (9.8%) were the second and third most common diagnoses
- •E. coli and Streptococcus zooepidemicus were the most common bacterial isolates in infectious cases
- •Definitive diagnosis was possible in the majority of cases when whole fetus and placenta were submitted for examination