Hi guys, someone on another board I frequent asked this question below and I'm a bit baffled because it's not my area of expertise. Any advice or information, or sources would be appreciated. Thanks.
Here's the post:
"I was wondering if any of you have any experience with this or know anyone who has dealt with it. my best friend is six months pregnant and a few weeks ago found out that there is an abnormality with the babies umbilical cord. typically the umbilical cord consists of one vein and two arteries but baby bethany (yes! she is being named after me, such an honor : ) has only one artery. i guess 1% of babies born have this condition. this can lead to various health concerns or this can have no ill-effect. nonetheless, anytime there's something "not right" with your baby it's cause for concern. i'd appreciate anything you could share. searching online leads to more negative stories than positive but her doctor doesn't seem too concerned. btw, she has tested negative for all of the potentially "bigger" problems, so for that we are all grateful."
I have seen several in practice and I really cannot remember any with problems.
My nephew had this as well as a velementous insertion with his 2 vessels traveling from the placenta and across the amniotic sac.His cord inserted there, in the sac. I was there, it was the most unusual insertion I have ever seen. Imagine what would have happened if the sac ruptured there?!? It was so fragile looking and I can't imagine how he did not kick the vessels or lay on them. He is a very healthy, happy boy.
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
In my experience, SUA in the absence of any congenital anomalies, is usually of no consequence. But, as I said, the ones I've delivered personally, have had multiple anomalies. Anomalies such as: bilateral cleft lip and palate, other cranio-facial anomalies, club feet, imperforate orifice, fetal demise.
Having said that, I must interject the majority of the babies I delivered with SUA were from lower socioeconomic gravidas with little or no pre-natal care.
I might add, in the event of the dx of a SUA and the presence of a previous reassuring scan, the OB should perform growth scans to ensure the baby is developing properly especially during the last month of pregnancy.
My son had a 2-vessel cord also, he's perfectly healthy. Also when I was pregnant it was planned, I had very good prenatal care (even took preggo vitamens before conceiving) and was middle class. He'll be 5yrs old on friday! I want you to know that many babies are perfectly fine w/the two vessels. I was worried during the pregnancy, but the amnio was normal and the only compliation was that my amniotic fluid level went down and they had to induce a couple weeks early.
My 8 Year old dd was born with a 2 vessel cord, she was tested at birth for kidney and auditory anomilies which turned out fine.
At 7 months she was dx with congenital heart defects, a ventricular septal defect and a patent ductus arteriosus, and mild LPA stenosis, she had the PDA repaired via a coil embolization in the cath lab at our nearest childrens hospital at 20 months. Her VSD was so small at the time of dx that they believed it would close spont. It didn't but now they say it is hemodynamically insignificant so there is no reason to expose her to the risk of a surgical repair.
She also had mild hip dysplasia and a spina bifida occulta.
She was sick alot as a baby, had repeated bouts of pneumonia and RSV but after they repaired her heart that got better.
She has to take ABX for dental work and other procedures to prevent bacterial endocarditis, but other than that she is a normal, active, healthy kid.
I have seen a few other babies born with 2vc and none of them had any problems.
My 8 Year old dd was born with a 2 vessel cord, she was tested at birth for kidney and auditory anomilies which turned out fine.
At 7 months she was dx with congenital heart defects, a ventricular septal defect and a patent ductus arteriosus, and mild LPA stenosis, she had the PDA repaired via a coil embolization in the cath lab at our nearest childrens hospital at 20 months. Her VSD was so small at the time of dx that they believed it would close spont. It didn't but now they say it is hemodynamically insignificant so there is no reason to expose her to the risk of a surgical repair.
She also had mild hip dysplasia and a spina bifida occulta.
She was sick alot as a baby, had repeated bouts of pneumonia and RSV but after they repaired her heart that got better.
She has to take ABX for dental work and other procedures to prevent bacterial endocarditis, but other than that she is a normal, active, healthy kid.
I have seen a few other babies born with 2vc and none of them had any problems.
Wow, sounds like you had your hands full for awhile there. I didn't realize they were fixing PDAs in the cath lab these days. My 12 year old was born with a PDA (1lb 8oz preemie)...and they went in through her back (not sure the proper term for this even!). Would you mind describing how the coil embolizm works? I'm just curious.
During the cardiac catheterization procedure, the patient is sedated and catheters are placed into blood vessels in the groin. The catheters are then fed to the heart and pictures are taken of the ductus arteriosus with dye (called an angiogram). Two methods can be used to close the ductus. If it is small, a coil may be placed within the vessel which will expand to block the blood flow. If the ductus is larger, a flexible device can be placed within the ductus as a "plug".
The ductus arteriosus may also be closed with surgery,. For surgery, a small incision is made between the ribs on the left side and the ductus arteriosus is tied (ligated) and cut. Surgical closure of the patent ductus arteriosus can be performed at any age, and is specifically recommended in some situations such as a very large patent ductus arteriosus or other unusual anatomy.
The risk of complications with any of these treatments is low, determined mostly by how ill the child is prior to treatment.
The coil that they showed me looked like a spring from a ball point pen, they thread it into the ductus, it then forms a clot and eventually scars over leaving the coil in place for the rest of the childs life. They will show up on xrays LOL you should have seen the tech's face.
They ended up putting two coils in my dd b/c her defect was very large.
Wow, yes...and thanks for the great explanation! I am a junior nursing student (one more term i'll be a senior ~whew~) and got to spend a day in the cath lab. I had no clue they were doing PDAs this way now, so I was fascinated when you mentioned it. My daughters incision (scar) is along her left shoulder blade, and her heart was about the size of a grape when they repaired hers.
To the OP...sorry for the hijack!! No more q's from me. Promise.
My God son was born with this. He has a kidney anomaly -- Horseshoe Kidney. He was on low dose abx for the first few years of his life to prevent UTIs, but he is now 9 years old and has no restrictions. He plays a variety of sports and is probably the smartest kid I've ever known. Even if there is an anomaly, it may not be particularly detrimental.
I saw one baby with a 2 vessel cord when I was in nursing school. Mom's water broke at 34 weeks and baby was delivered at 36 weeks. She was small but very healthy, no abnormalities.
My cousin is pregnant, due May 12th, and her baby has a 2 vessel cord. Amnio and ultrasounds have been good so hopefully everything will work out well.
My son also had a 2 vessel cord. It was DX at my 20 wk ultrasound. I was sent for a level 2 US and nothing else was found so we elected not to have an amnio.
8 wks later I delivered due to pre-eclampsia. He spent 74 days in the NICU.
After he was sent home we noticed that his "preemie" head was looking odd. His forehead was growing in a V shaped. We were sent to a craniofacial doc and he was dx with Mytopic Craniosynostosis. That lead to some genetic testing because of some other dysmorphic features.
He was found to have a chromosome abnormality on # 14. It had duplicated half of it's self. So the genetist researched like crazy to find some data and they can not find anyone with the same type of abnormality or a syndrome related. So Joel has his own "syndrome".
I am happy to say he his totally normal!! Developing normally with kids his age! He does have chronic ear infections because of his craniofacial deformity.
They think the 2 vessel cord is related to the chromosome abnormality.
Julie RN
I forgot to mention he was conceived after I had had my tubes tied for 3 yrs!!
jrring1019
110 Posts
I have seen several in practice and I really cannot remember any with problems.
My nephew had this as well as a velementous insertion with his 2 vessels traveling from the placenta and across the amniotic sac.His cord inserted there, in the sac. I was there, it was the most unusual insertion I have ever seen. Imagine what would have happened if the sac ruptured there?!? It was so fragile looking and I can't imagine how he did not kick the vessels or lay on them. He is a very healthy, happy boy.