An Absent Right Umbilical Artery Versus Absent Lt and the Prognostic Implications for the Fetus

A single umbilical artery (SUA) is one of the most common malformations in a fetus, with approximately a 1% occurrence rate. A retrospective study of 108 fetuses with a SUA was done to determine if the laterality of the SUA made a difference in fetal prognosis. An absent right umbilical artery was found in 42 (38.9%) of cases and an absent left umbilical artery in 66 (61.1%) cases. When correlated with fetal outcome, there was a closer association between an absent right umbilical artery with genitourinary anomalies, cardiac defects, and chromosomal abnormalities. There was a nine times greater likelihood (95% confidence interval of a 3 to 27 times greater probability) of a fetal anomaly with an absent right umbilical artery than with an absent left umbilical artery.

Source: Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography - January 15, 2015 Category: Radiology Authors: Durant, J., Helm, D., Having, K., Guthrie, J. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research