Rav Shaya Kanievsky shlita, son of Rav Chaim zt”l,  and the Nais Nuchal

It was a week after the end of the shiva of Maran Sar HaTorah Rav Chaim Kanievsky zatzal.  According to an Orchot Yosher administrator, an Avreich knocked upon the door of Rav Shaya Kanievsky Shlita, the eldest son of Rav Chaim.   He asked to enter to speak with Rav Shaya.

 My wife is about to give birth. But the doctors are saying that she is past her due date and they are asking us to agree to a c-section/  They say that it is past the point of waiting, but they are still leaving the decision to us.  What should we do?  The Avreich elaborated upon the factors both ways.

Rav Shaya heard the question and after asking a number of questions to clarify the matter, he ruled that one should listen to the doctors recommendation in this case.

Orchot Yosher, the organization Rav Chaim started l’zecher Nishmas his wife a”h,  had heard the story from the Avreich a week later.  He had called to thank for the advice and excitedly said that they did perform surgery as decided by Rabbi Shaya. But during the c-section it became clear that there was a Type B nuchal cord, where the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck in the dangerous and life-threatening way.  I

A nuchal cord happens when a baby’s umbilical cord becomes wrapped around their neck in the womb. Nuchal cords are common, and most often do not cause health problems. In rare cases, however, serious complications do occur.

The umbilical cord is responsible for delivering the oxygen and nutrients that the baby needs to grow. It also carries away waste. Nuchal cords come in two types -type A and type B.

Type A nuchal cords, also called unlocked cords, are free-moving and come undone naturally. Type B nuchal cords, also called locked chords, are wrapped in a way that does not allow them to come undone naturally, except for very rare cases.

This was a type B cord.   But the C-section had saved the day.  When one consults Gedolei Torah – Klal Yisroel stands successfully.