I believe everyone knows that when a child is in the mother's body, they rely on the umbilical cord to connect with the mother. It is precisely this umbilical cord that allows the child to obtain nutrients from the mother and excrete waste. The umbilical cord also contains blood vessels. Now let's learn: Does a single umbilical artery have any impact on children?
The incidence of malformations is higher in children with a single umbilical artery. When expectant mothers are diagnosed with a single umbilical artery, doctors will examine the child for any other structural abnormalities. Certain single umbilical arteries can cause circulatory disorders in infants, affecting their development and leading to intrauterine growth retardation, premature birth, and other complications. Therefore, when doctors discover that a child has a single umbilical artery, expectant mothers will need to increase the frequency of prenatal check ups to monitor the child's growth and development. If all the examination indicators of the child are normal, it indicates that the child is developing well, and expectant mothers do not need to worry excessively.
At present, a single umbilical artery cannot be intervened, therefore, when diagnosed as a single umbilical artery, it is mainly necessary to conduct a thorough examination to rule out any growth abnormalities in the child. If no abnormalities are found during the examination, expectant mothers can safely wait for delivery because having a single umbilical artery does not necessarily mean that the child has a problem. Clinically, the vast majority of children born with a single umbilical artery are healthy.
The umbilical cord is the main pathway for material exchange between a child and their mother. Typically, the umbilical cord has three blood vessels, one umbilical vein and two umbilical arteries. A single umbilical artery is an umbilical cord with only one umbilical artery and one umbilical vein, and a single umbilical artery is the most common umbilical cord abnormality.
