How many vessels should be in the umbilical cord? On ultrasound at 21 weeks, they found 2 vessels in the umbilical cord. 2 vessels in the umbilical cord - what does this mean if there is a reason for worry? 2 vessels - 1 vein and 1 artery ... 3 vessels in the umbilical cord during pregnancy indicate no cause for concern.

Doppler of the vessels of the umbilical cord is one of the studies that are mandatory for women who are preparing for motherhood. Nutrients also seep into the vein through the vein. With the medical verdict "EAP", which stands for "the only artery" of the umbilical cord, expectant mothers are forced to face somewhere in 0.5% of cases.

One of the arteries may be absent immediately, and its functionality may be impaired while waiting for the baby. Approximately 90% of cases, the CAP pathology belongs to the number of isolated abnormalities, does not turn into a threat to the fetus and mother. Despite the increasing load that falls on the vessel, its functioning is not disturbed.

Vessels of the umbilical cord (2 or 3) are not significant at the stage of childbirth. The main thing is that the specialist and junior medical staff who take delivery should be aware of the presence of pathology. It is also necessary to cut the umbilical cord as carefully as possible - there is a risk of impaired blood flow. However, timely diagnosis of deviations from this norm allows avoiding the risk even with one artery. The gynecologist necessarily prescribes an additional examination to the woman to make sure that there are no other genetic pathologies that develop against the background of the disorder.

2 vessels in the umbilical cord - examination

A pregnant woman is shown a study of blood, which is obtained from the umbilical cord (cardocentesis). My youngest son had two vessels instead of three ... She endured normally, although she often went to ultrasound, followed the development of the baby. The weight was 3.900. Grew up and developed well… But! When he began to grow up, as if with a delay in development. Approximately at 21-22 weeks of pregnancy, a woman must undergo a mandatory analysis: doplerometry of the umbilical cord vessels.

The umbilical cord is the umbilical cord that connects the fetal navel and the placenta. Normally, it has 3 vessels: 2 arteries and 1 vein. The umbilical cord provides fetoplacental blood circulation, thanks to which the child receives all the nutrients necessary for development.

It turns out that with such a diagnosis, not 3 vessels, but 2. EAP occurs initially or may develop during the development of pregnancy. In most cases, the doctor will advise the woman to undergo a series of tests that can confirm whether the child has chromosomal abnormalities.

In almost 90% of cases, pregnancy, in which the umbilical cord has two vessels, is no longer accompanied by any other abnormalities, and childbirth takes place in the standard mode. If you have been diagnosed with EAP, and the baby does not have malformations and chromosomal abnormalities, do not worry.

On my first ultrasound they wrote that there were 3 vessels, I didn’t worry ... But I went for the third ultrasound yesterday and the doctor saw only 2 vessels. In the maternity hospital they said that it's okay, if there are no other pathologies, then there is nothing to worry about.

The structure of the umbilical cord is the norm

Girls! I also had 2 vessels of the umbilical cord, sleepless nights, a lot of experiences, etc. You need to do a cordocentesis, this is a procedure where they pierce the stomach and take blood from the umbilical cord and check for chromosomal abnormalities. As a result of the analysis good set complete chromosomes.

2 vessels in the umbilical cord - is it necessary to terminate the pregnancy

At 21 weeks pregnant future mom should undergo dopplerometry of the vessels of the umbilical cord. Unfortunately, doctors tend to tacitly hand over to the patient (in our case, the patient) a conclusion with dry figures, without explaining anything. A woman has to independently look for answers to the questions: how many vessels, in fact, should the umbilical cord have and how should they work, these vessels of the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord is a kind of "rope" that connects the mother's body and the fetus, or rather, their circulatory systems.

In 0.5% of singleton pregnancies and 5% of multiple pregnancies, doctors diagnose "SAP" (single umbilical artery). The absence of one artery is either initial or developed during pregnancy (i.e. it was, but atrophied and ceased to perform its function). In this case, it is necessary to expand the prenatal examination in order to identify congenital malformations. If a chromosomal abnormality is suspected, it is important to repeatedly conduct a Doppler study of blood flow in the umbilical artery during pregnancy.

Of course, the load on a single vessel is more than two, but one artery usually does its job well. Only in 14-15% of cases, the presence of a single artery increases the risk of having a small child. Publications on "baby.ru" and advice in the weekly baby development calendar should not be considered as medical recommendations for pregnancy management, diagnosis and treatment.

If a single umbilical artery is found on ultrasound (two vessels in the umbilical cord instead of three)

Normally, the umbilical cord contains 3 vessels - 2 arteries and one vein. In the absence of one of the arteries (usually due to congenital hypoplasia), the diagnosis of EAP (the only umbilical artery) is made. The absence of one of the arteries does not lead to a deterioration in the condition of the fetus, because. the remaining vessel fully compensates for the functions of the hypoplastic artery.

How many vessels should the umbilical cord have - a "conductor" that connects the fetus with the mother during pregnancy, a supplier of nutrients, oxygen. How many vessels are in the umbilical cord is a question, the answer to which is absolutely unimportant for the future life of the child. At a period of 19 weeks, it turned out that there were two vessels in the umbilical cord, this did not affect further pregnancy and childbirth, but the baby was born with esophageal atresia and fistula.

The umbilical cord is the most important organ that provides the fetus with the necessary nutrition for its proper development. Vessels of the umbilical cord of the fetus (3 vessels: 2 arteries and 1 vein) are the most important elements of the organ. With deviations in the formation of the umbilical cord and its vessels, the blood may not carry enough oxygen to the fetus (), which is fraught with the development of the last series of diseases and pathologies, as in the process prenatal development as well as after birth.

With the advent of the method, it became possible to detect deviations in the structure and formation of the umbilical cord even in the early stages of pregnancy, as well as to track how the vessels of the umbilical cord function. One of the possible pathologies in the structure of the umbilical cord, diagnosed by examining the uterus, is the lack of one of the vessels.

The umbilical cord is a series of vessels that connect the maternal placenta to the abdominal cavity of the fetus and provide blood flow to the tissues and organs of the developing embryo.

The vessels of the umbilical cord in the fetus are surrounded by the so-called warton jelly - a substance that protects them from possible damage. The umbilical arteries are a continuation of the internal iliac arteries. They pass along the inner surface of the abdominal wall, then, from Bladder diverge on the sides, forming a semblance of a triangle, and go to the umbilical ring, where they are connected to the umbilical cord.

Inside the uterine cavity, the fetus can move freely, since the size of the umbilical cord is quite large: 50-70 centimeters in length and one and a half to two centimeters in thickness. With vascular pathology, the umbilical cord is too short or excessively long.

Functioning

The presence of characteristic changes in the structure of the umbilical cord and the location of its vessels is always a big risk for the development of the fetus, since the processes of blood circulation between the mother and the fetus look a little different than inside the body of a healthy person.

In the body of an adult, veins carry carbon dioxide-rich blood to tissues and organs, and arteries carry oxygen-rich blood. The vein is responsible for the transfer of oxygen from the fetus to the mother through the umbilical cord, and the arteries are responsible for the removal of venous blood from the fetus. That is why the vessels of the umbilical cord are subject to careful examination at all stages of pregnancy.

It should be noted that the umbilical arteries function only during the intrauterine development of the fetus, and after birth they become empty. The same thing happens with a single vein. In a healthy fetus, a vein carries about 80 percent of all blood delivered from mother to fetus.

All together, the vessels of the umbilical cord carry about 240 milliliters of blood per minute from mother to fetus. The vessels carry the same amount of blood to the placenta. Within 5-20 minutes after birth, the vessels of the umbilical cord are still functioning, which allows blood sampling from the newborn. Ultimately, the vessels become empty, the organ atrophies and is removed as unnecessary.

Around the twelfth week of pregnancy should be carried out ultrasound procedure to make sure that the norm of the vessels of the umbilical cord is not violated.

In most cases, the doctor detects three vessels on ultrasound, then you can not be afraid of blood flow pathologies. Sometimes there may be a shortage of one of the arteries. In this case, there is one vein and one artery in the umbilical cord, which can pose a threat to the proper blood supply to the fetus.

Even this modern research how ultrasound can fail. Young mothers often see in the ultrasound findings a different number of umbilical cord vessels at different stages of pregnancy. With the correct development of the fetus, the number of umbilical cord vessels should remain unchanged throughout the entire process of fetal development. It is also possible that one of the arteries has ceased to function.

The death of one of the arteries can be triggered by maternal diseases, especially diabetes. Such a pathology is quite rare and requires a thorough examination of the mother's body and the fetus itself, since in the future it can lead to severe forms of chromosomal pathologies.

In the neck

Many mothers also often ask the question: umbilical cord vessels in the neck of the fetus - what is it and is it a pathology?

The detection of the vessels of the umbilical cord in the neck of the fetus during ultrasound is nothing more than the entanglement of the fetus with the umbilical cord. This can happen as a result of polyhydramnios or severe stress in the mother, during which hormones are produced that make the baby move more often and more actively than usual.

When making a diagnosis of EAP (single umbilical artery), it is important to find out if this fetal pathology is the only one. In this case, the baby is born healthy in 90 percent of cases, and the mother has no particular reason to worry. However, it is necessary to control the process of blood circulation from the beginning of pregnancy until the birth of the baby continuously. Most often, this pathology leads to the birth of a small fetus.

In the presence of several pathologies at once, control over the development of the fetus should be maximum, since there is a risk of developing diseases such as:

• Down syndrome;
• underdevelopment of the skeleton and skull;
• developmental pathology of the genitourinary system.

Anomaly

When the diagnosis of EAP is made and there are no other anomalies, as well as if the fetus develops according to the timing, the expectant mother has no reason to worry. If a concomitant anomaly of the umbilical cord vessels is still detected, the woman needs to undergo an ultrasound scan and see a geneticist for additional studies.

Also, if severe malformations are found in the fetus, the question of artificial termination of pregnancy because child mortality in early age, born with malformations of the vessels of the umbilical cord, leaves about 14 percent.

To ensure the most correct development of the fetus and prevent the occurrence of possible diseases, the diagnosis of the vessels of the umbilical cord should be carried out from the first weeks of pregnancy until the birth of the child.

The umbilical cord is a special organ through which the developing embryo, later the fetus, is connected with the mother's body. Normally, the vessels of the umbilical cord are represented by two arteries and a vein. through which the exchange of blood and the oxygen and nutrients in it occurs.

Until recently, it was possible to find out how the umbilical cord is built, how many vessels are in it and whether there are other anomalies only after the birth of the baby by visual examination and histological examination. With the introduction and widespread use of ultrasound techniques, dopplerometry, it became possible to "look" inside the uterus even before childbirth, to trace the nature of the blood flow and the anatomical features of this organ.

To assess the condition, it is of great importance to determine the number of umbilical cord vessels and the characteristics of blood flow through them. Normally, the doctor diagnoses the presence of three vessels, but in rare cases, he may miss one, and then the expectant mother begins to worry in earnest. Let's try to figure out why the lack of one of the arteries is dangerous, how it will affect the baby and what should be done by a woman who has this anomaly.

Formation and structure of the umbilical cord

Umbilical cord is a cord connecting the fetal surface of the placenta with the abdominal wall of the fetus. Its main components are vessels. Outside, the umbilical cord is covered with a single layer of epithelial cells, and the vessels are surrounded by a jelly-like substance (Wharton's jelly), which plays a protective role, enveloping them from all sides.

The thickness of the umbilical cord by the end of pregnancy reaches one and a half to two centimeters, the length is 50-70 cm, which allows the fetus to freely move in the uterine cavity even before birth, and the expectant mother feels peculiar jolts and stirring. An excessively long, as well as a short umbilical cord is a sign of pathology.

As mentioned above, the umbilical cord should have two arteries and one vein. It is generally accepted that venous blood with carbon dioxide moves through the veins, and arterial blood rich in oxygen and nutrients moves through the arteries. With the umbilical cord, the situation is somewhat different: the vein carries oxygenated blood to the tissues of the fetus, and the arteries carry away venous blood from the unborn baby.

umbilical arteries only exist during fetal development. Departing from the internal iliac, they pass along the inner surface of the abdominal wall, on the sides of the bladder in the form of a triangle, heading to the umbilical ring, where they are included in the umbilical cord. After birth, these vessels become empty, and only thin folds of the peritoneum with reverse side abdominal wall.

There is only one umbilical vein, although initially there are two of them (the left one is reduced). Nature provides that only one vessel is enough to ensure adequate blood flow, therefore, neither the fetus nor the mother experience "inconvenience" due to the unpaired vein. The umbilical vein delivers about 80% of the blood to the inferior vena cava developing baby, and the remaining 20% ​​is used for blood flow in the liver.

Uteroplacental blood flow system

The amount of blood that flows through the vessels of the umbilical cord during pregnancy is enormous. By the end of gestation, the fetus receives about 240 ml of arterial blood per minute through the vein, the same volume goes through the arteries to the placenta. About 5-20 minutes after the birth of a child, the blood flow through the vessels of the umbilical cord is preserved, and at this time it can be taken for research and other purposes (preparation of drugs, for example), however, already in the process of childbirth, under the influence of the release of the hormone oxytocin, the vessels of the umbilical cord begin to become empty, and the organ quickly atrophies as unnecessary.

Video: Fetal Circulation Lecture Series

Diagnosis of the state of the umbilical cord

The most reliable information about the state of the umbilical cord and its vessels can be obtained by ultrasound with color Doppler mapping. A transverse "section" of the umbilical cord shows the presence of a larger vessel - a vein, and a smaller one - an artery. The number of vessels is estimated from the longitudinal image. Data on the number of vessels can be obtained by the end of the first trimester, at about 12 weeks, when a woman is sent for her first screening test.

The accuracy of diagnosing the number of umbilical cord vessels can be influenced by various factors: the impossibility of good visualization of the organ in too early dates or on the eve of childbirth, a small amount amniotic fluid, more than one fetus in the uterus, excess weight in a pregnant woman. The qualification of the doctor conducting the study also plays a significant role.

Where is the norm, and where is the pathology?

By about 21 weeks of gestation, all pregnant women are sent to, which allows you to evaluate not only the anatomical features of the fetus, placenta, umbilical cord, but also the features of blood flow (speed, number of vessels, anomalies). Often, doctors do not bother to explain to the patient at least briefly the results of the analysis, so expectant mothers study the literature and the Internet in search of answers.

Normally, at any stage of pregnancy, the umbilical cord has 3 vessels. Having received such a conclusion in her hands, a woman can calm down - the blood flow is in order (of course, if no other anomalies are found). In some cases, the doctor of ultrasound diagnostics does not detect one artery in the umbilical cord, then in the conclusion it will be indicated that there are only two vessels - one vein and one artery.

With an insufficient number of umbilical cord vessels, specialists will have to figure out whether the anomaly is isolated or combined with other defects, which is often found in this type of pathology. Some women note that the number of vessels on ultrasound in different dates is different, and this creates even more questions, misunderstandings and unnecessary excitement for the expectant mother.

Note that the number of vessels should not change throughout pregnancy., therefore, there are two conclusions: either one of the arteries for some reason stopped functioning, or a mistake was made in some of the studies, and you need to “count” the vessels again, preferably with a competent and experienced doctor who will dispel all doubts.

Two vessels in the umbilical cord: should I be worried?

W the mysterious abbreviation EAP in the doctor's conclusion means the presence of a single artery, that is, 2 vessels were found in the umbilical cord. Such a pathology occurs in approximately 0.5-1% of cases of normally occurring pregnancies, and with multiple pregnancies, the rate reaches 5%. About a third of the fetuses with such a change in the umbilical cord, combined with other structural anomalies, are more likely to have a severe chromosomal pathology, therefore, a woman needs an extended examination, including a geneticist.

The causes of the pathology are still not clear, but studies show that the lack of umbilical cord vessels is more common among women with diabetes, as well as among dark-skinned inhabitants of the Earth. Perhaps the influence of external adverse factors that contribute to all sorts of deviations in the formation of the fetus, placenta and umbilical cord.

What threatens the presence of two vessels in the umbilical cord is the most important issue that worries a pregnant woman, because any mother wants to give birth to a healthy baby. In such a situation, it is important to exclude other malformations, which determine the further prognosis and management of pregnancy.

If the lack of one of the umbilical arteries is the only anomaly that doctors see with multiple ultrasounds, and chromosomal abnormalities are not confirmed by additional studies (cordocentesis, amniocentesis), then there is no cause for concern. Up to 90% of pregnancies with EAP in an isolated form end safely in the birth of a healthy child.

Of course, until the end of gestation, you need to regularly monitor blood circulation, but, as practice shows, even one vessel is enough, because it is able to take on a double load. Only every tenth woman with an anomaly of the umbilical cord vessels may have a small child, but this, most likely, will not affect its further development.

Women with isolated CAP are recommended additional Doppler and ultrasound examination of the fetus at 28 weeks of gestation to rule out possible developmental delay. If the blood flow and growth rate of the baby correspond to the average norm, then the pregnancy develops correctly, and intrauterine growth retardation is excluded.

As they say, everything would be fine, but isolated a defect with the presence of 1 vessel in the umbilical cord of the arterial type is recorded in only 7% of women, the rest of the cases are combined pathology therefore, a much more dangerous scenario is considered to be when other structural abnormalities in the fetus are detected during CAP on ultrasound. Especially often at the same time, vessels and the genitourinary system are observed.

It was also found that the lack of the left umbilical artery is more often accompanied by other malformations on the part of the embryo. than underdevelopment of the right artery, although the reasons for this phenomenon are not exactly known.

Pathology associated with a single artery in the umbilical cord:

• Malformations of the heart;
• Anomalies of the genitourinary system;
• Underdevelopment of the bones of the skeleton, skull;
• Trisomy on 21 pairs of chromosomes (Down's syndrome);
• Miscarriages and intrauterine fetal death.

What to do if there is not enough vessel in the umbilical cord?

So, summing up the above, we note that the anomaly in the number of umbilical cord vessels can be isolated, without other disorders in the developing fetus, and combined with other defects, the probability of which is quite high.

With an isolated defect of the umbilical cord, the expectant mother should calm down and timely undergo all studies, including additional ultrasound control. If there are no other deviations, then the baby is developing correctly, the blood flow is adequate, and additional examinations, including cordocentesis and genetics consultation, are not required.

If abnormalities are found in the fetus against the background of EAP, a thorough examination is indicated:

1. Additional ultrasound with dopplerometry at different gestational ages;
2. Cordocentesis and karyotyping to search for chromosomal mutations;
3. genetics consultation.

In case of severe defects, the issue of termination of pregnancy is decided, but it is worth remembering the higher frequency of spontaneous miscarriages and stillbirths with such an anomaly. Infant mortality due to severe anatomical defects in the structure of organs at an early age, according to some data, reaches 10-14%.

For any pathology of the vessels of the umbilical cord, you should, first of all, consult a doctor, and not look for answers on dubious children's sites and forums on the Internet or among familiar mothers who “know everything” about pregnancy. Of course, in the majority, isolated CAP proceeds favorably, as evidenced by the birth a large number healthy babies, but to be sure of the well-being of your child, it is worth going through all the examinations necessary for this diagnosis.

The umbilical cord is a special organ that is responsible for the connection between the mother and her baby from the very first day, that is, even at the embryonic stage. It is worth paying special attention to its structure and formation, because this is an important aspect of any pregnancy.

The main components of the umbilical cord are its vessels. This thin thread connects the abdominal wall of the fetus and the fetal surface of the placenta.

The average thickness of the umbilical cord is one and a half centimeters, while the length is about seventy. This length is necessary so that your baby can move freely, but if the umbilical cord exceeds this size, then this is already considered a pathology, just like too short (less than 50).

The correct umbilical cord consists of:
two arteries;
One vein.
These two components are equally important. The vein is necessary in order to carry oxygenated blood to the tissues of the fetal formation. Arteries, on the other hand, carry venous blood away from the baby. The umbilical cord and all its components is a temporary organ that is needed only for the period of intrauterine development. Immediately after childbirth, literally ten minutes later, this organ ceases to function and dies.

How many vessels are in the umbilical cord

So, as we said above, it is normal when the umbilical cord has three vessels: 2 arteries and one vein. This is necessary to properly supply the developing fetus with oxygen and all the necessary nutrients. Two arterial vessels are necessary to cleanse the blood of carbon dioxide and harmful substances, being cleansed at the placenta, they are sent back to the baby through the vein. Thus, the constant circulation and function of these three umbilical cord vessels is essential for the proper development of your baby.

Two vessels in the umbilical cord. Is it dangerous?

It’s probably clear that with our ecology, pathologies in pregnancy have increased. Sometimes a doctor makes a pregnant woman such a diagnosis as EAP.

This means that the umbilical cord has not three, but two vessels. It is difficult to say exactly why this is happening, because it can occur both at the stage of conception and the formation of umbilical cord vessels, and it will be revealed already during pregnancy. Many doctors cite a number of factors that make the diagnosis of EAP more common:
Multiple pregnancy;
Maternal diabetes;
Age mothers (late pregnancy).
This is considered a pathology of pregnancy, and yes, very serious. But before confirming the diagnosis, the doctor will send you for repeated examinations, and also most likely will force an amniocentesis. In this case, first of all, it is necessary to identify the absence of chromosomal abnormalities in the development of the fetus.

This is probably the biggest danger in the umbilical cord, which consists of two vessels. But, do not worry if the studies did not reveal other complications. The baby can develop perfectly and if there are two vessels in the umbilical cord, nutrients and oxygen will also be delivered to him.

Ultrasound of the vessels of the umbilical cord

Diagnosis of umbilical cord vessels is a rather young research method. Correctly, this method is called ultrasound with color Doppler mapping. The number here is estimated from the longitudinal image, here you will see one large vessel - a vein and two thinner ones, these are just arteries. Such an examination can already be obtained after the first screening, as a rule, this is the end of the third trimester of pregnancy. But not always ultrasound can show the number of vessels, this is influenced not only by the qualifications of the specialist, but even by the overweight of the expectant mother or a small amount of amniotic fluid.

Thrombosis of the vessels of the umbilical cord

We will immediately reassure expectant mothers and note that thrombosis of the umbilical cord vessels is extremely rare, approximately in the ratio of one case in a thousand. But, nevertheless, this problem exists. And even here, venous is more common than the more dangerous arterial, so do not panic ahead of time. Thrombosis is a small nodes that greatly interfere with the nutrition of the baby.

At normal course during pregnancy, the risk of thrombosis is minimal, usually associated with pregnancies with complications.

But such a pathology can be not only spontaneously arisen or genetically predisposed at the very beginning of the formation of the embryo, it can occur due to trauma to the mother or past illnesses.

Cord prolapse

If, after the rupture of the fetal bladder, part of the umbilical cord is in front of the presenting part of the fetus, then we are talking about prolapse of the umbilical cord. This happens quite rarely, but here you will have to face serious problems. In this situation, the umbilical cord is pressed against the wall of the pelvis by the head of the child, thereby causing disturbances in blood supply and nutrition. Doctors identify a risk group for expectant mothers who are most affected by prolapse of the umbilical cord.

These include pregnant women with:
polyhydramnios;
transverse or breech presentation;
Multiple pregnancy.
Most often this is characteristic late dates pregnancy, usually in such situations, if the expectant mother is already in the clinic, an urgent caesarean section is performed. If the prolapse of the umbilical cord occurred at home, then you immediately need to lie down and not allow any movements. Call an ambulance and wait for hospitalization without movement, preferably lying on your back. Most often, such cases end precisely because of the quick response not only to the ambulance, but also to the mother herself.

Entanglement of the umbilical cord vessels around the fetal neck

Around the end of the first trimester, the umbilical cord is already fully formed and you can undergo an ultrasound scan that will help identify possible pathologies. Wrapping the umbilical cord around the baby's neck can hardly be called a pathology, but this problem occurs in about twenty percent of cases and we will immediately make a reservation that it does not always require emergency caesarean section.

The main reason that the umbilical cord wraps around the neck, doctors call the umbilical cord too long (more than 70 centimeters), as a rule, the length of the umbilical cord is already genetically predetermined. The second most common reason is fetal hypoxia, that is, the baby does not have enough oxygen and he begins to actively move in order to take a more comfortable position and, without suspecting it, gets into the loops. And of course, high water, with it the umbilical cord floats freely and twists itself into loops.

But remember that the fetus can not only create loops, but also unravel them on its own.

Therefore, do not worry in advance if the entanglement of the umbilical cord is revealed to you at the second planned ultrasound, perhaps the baby will soon get out of it. And most importantly, only five percent of the entanglement of the umbilical cord carries a danger; in all the rest, it ends favorably and does not affect childbirth in any way.