What is a Single Umbilical Artery?by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger 27 Dec 2007 08:54 PM In a normal umbilical cord, the cord has three vessels. Two of the vessels are arteries and one is a vein. In some cases, only one artery develops in the cord. This is known as a single umbilical artery. This is actually the most common irregularity of the umbilical cord. A single umbilical artery is present in about one in one hundred births. For some reason, it is most common in white women than in other ethnic groups. It is also more common in multiple pregnancies. A single artery is more likely to occur if the mother is over the age of 40 and has three or more children. The single artery is also more common when the baby is a girl. It is hard to say if the single artery signals a problem. Alone, a single artery is not necessarily a problem for the baby. The one artery is enough for the baby to be born healthy, but in some cases it can signal a problem with the baby or a higher risk of certain birth defects. In fact, over half the babies born with a single umbilical artery are born with no birth defects at all. Approximately one quarter of the babies that have a single artery will have birth defects. These can range from chromosomal abnormalities to heart defects or problems with the nervous system. The most common birth defect associated with a single umbilical artery is a heart defect. Other systems that can be affected include the respiratory system or gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the pregnancy may be at risk for miscarriage or preterm labor. The single artery is generally discovered at the ultrasound that is done in the second trimester. When the single artery is detected, it is likely that you will be sent for further testing. An additional ultrasound will be done to look for heart defects and other abnormalities. A specialist in maternal fetal medicine is the best person to do this in depth study. Since preterm labor and growth restriction in utero can happen with a single artery, you may have additional ultrasounds toward the end of the pregnancy. This will be done to check the growth of the baby to be sure it is normal. Related Articles: Ultrasound: Your First Peek at Your New Baby Learn more about Pattie Hughes  Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University. Relevantpregnancy tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Discuss this article
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