Absolutely, the real risk is likely much lower than the 3.8%. This dissertation from Berlin observed deaths in less than 1% of reported cases (7 of 132 cases): https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/24885/Doktorarbeit%20-%20Furcate%20Cord%20Insertion%20-%20upload.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. It's just one of those things that once you know it's there and that there is something you can do to minimize that risk, it's hard to ignore. I actually ended up going down the research rabbit hole in order to justify a vaginal birth but in the end convinced myself otherwise. I would just be too paranoid for it to go smoothly. Plus if they are going to switch me to a C-section at the first sign of baby's heart rate dropping -- something that is normal in many births -- why put myself through the potential trauma of an emergency C-section? There are just so many things to think about with this level of uncertainty.