The Single Umbilical Artery

From Dr. Chapa’s OBGYN Clinical Pearls Dr. Chapa’s Clinical Pearls

Did you know that not all cases of a single umbilical artery (SUA) result in a 2-vessel cord? Some umbilical cords with a SUA still have 3 vessels! How is that possible? Although SUA is only found between 0.2 to 1% of all live births, they can have important clinical implications. Although sonographic absence of other congenital anomalies is very reassuring (isolated SUA), some fetal conditions may not be apparent until time of birth. In the session, we will review the etiology of, diagnosis of, and management of the SUA.