Looking for some knowledge!

Hi There,My baby had a 2 vessel cord as well (she had one artery and one vein). I had an extra fetal cardiac ultrasound done as the doctor said there was a very small chance that this can be associated with heart issues.There is some conflicting data if this may be associated with low birth weight as well. My baby weighed 6lb 2 ounces (at 37.5 weeks) and was healthy as can be when she was born. I was also told that this was more common in twin pregnancies...hope this helps

Hi There,My baby had a 2 vessel cord as well (she had one artery and one vein). I had an extra fetal cardiac ultrasound done as the doctor said there was a very small chance that this can be associated with heart issues.There is some conflicting data if this may be associated with low birth weight as well. My baby weighed 6lb 2 ounces (at 37.5 weeks) and was healthy as can be when she was born. I was also told that this was more common in twin pregnancies...hope this helps

Thanks I did a lot of googling last night and you are right it is really common in twin pregnancies. About 1 in 100 I read. I am feeling much better about it and we have a heart scan booked in Feb at Sick Kids so I think I will feel much more at ease after that. I am so glad that your little one is healthy and doing well! Thank you for replying, it makes me feel much more confident to know that others have had great outcomes!

From my work experience, two-vessel cords are common. I think they just are more cautious and keep a closer eye on things.

Hey SMC,I work in the pediatric world and can tell you that 2 vessel cords are extremely common! Also more so with twins! I wouldn't worry about it at all. There is some conflicting info regarding the association between 2 vessel cords with heart and kidney problems, but the feeling is that it is an extremely small association anyways. Sometimes they will do an US of the kidneys after the baby is born, but it sounds like you are having a ton of scans done anyways so that may not even be necessary. Good luck with the heart scan and rest of your PG!Sunflower

I could be wrong but I think I remember reading that is what Kat's Lily had.Hopefully all will be well with your baby A.

Thank you everyone for the reassurance! Speaking of Kat I hope her little one is doing well! Has anyone heard?

I have been wondering about her as well. Have not heard anything since her status update the other day which said Lily had opened her eyes...

pardon my ignorance but does this explain the bleeding, or is this a totally differnt issue? Looks like its probably not much to worry about, but just keep an eye on.

I have been wondering about her as well. Have not heard anything since her status update the other day which said Lily had opened her eyes...

I am praying that everything is okay and she is just too busy enjoying her little girl to update.

pardon my ignorance but does this explain the bleeding, or is this a totally differnt issue? Looks like its probably not much to worry about, but just keep an eye on.

The bleeding was apparently from where they took the biopsy of the villi but this could be related to the increased NT and the cystic hygroma apparently. I am ready for some good news!

Hi SMC - as you know I don't log in frequently nor do I follow anyone’s stories anymore - however someone did mention to me that you just found out that one of your babies has an SUA and so I felt compelled to log in.That is what Isabelle had. I was told right from the beginning that either there could be 0 issues with the baby or we could end up with the situation that we did with Isabelle. I don't mean to scare you but think you deserve an upfront answer.SUA's are NOT common - they are the most common defect in umbilical cords if there is an issue with the umbilical cord. I was told by my high risk OB (one of the most well know ones in Montreal; he trains all u/s techs in Montreal) that they occur in less than 2% of pregnancies.Here is an excellent information page http://www.obfocus.c...ical artery.htm. I reviewed this information with my high risk OB and he said it was well documented.Isabelle had renal issues - left kidney was affected by hydronephrosis due to the fact that it was the left artery that was missing. This is usually the most common issue if there is one with an SUA as the kidney has no where to drain (left missing arteries are more common that right missing arteries). If they notice the enlargement of the kidney they will send you to see a urologist or nephrologists. Normally nothing is done as we can live with 1 kidney. They will assess the functioning once the baby arrives and then decide if they perform nephrectomy or they leave it and it will eventual disintegrate.Isabelle had cardiac issues - when the arteries and veins enter the fetus they split up and these veins become ligaments when the umbilical cord is clamped. One issue with Isabelle, due to the SUA is that when the veins and arteries entered her body it was missing a ductus venosus (the ductus venosus shunts approximately half of the blood flow of the umbilical vein directly to the inferior vena cava) – it passes via the liver and so Isabelle’s liver was also malformed. In so many words there was nothing controlling the blood flow to her heart and thus her heart was beating in over drive and so like any muscles when it is worked it thickens. They will most likely send you for a fetal echo at 20 weeks - what ever you do ask for another at 26 weeks and another at 32 weeks even if they say all is OK at 20 weeks. We were told all was OK at 20 weeks - but when we went back at 25 weeks that is when the cardiologist noticed some issues and then confirmed the missing ductus venosus at 32 weeks and the major cardiac issues. Isabelle did not have ANY chromosomal issues - the amnio performed at 15w4d that resulted in the rupture of the sac showed no abnormalities and the testing that they performed during her life called a CGH (analysis of the chromosomes at the layers to see for insertions, duplications and deletions) came back as normal as you and me.Isabelle did not have any skeletal issues - they did perform a skeletal analysis on her - they took about 40 x-rays and had the read and it came back normal too.I know I just threw alot of information your way but when you get the worse case scenario like we did with Isabelle you research the hell out of it and you talk with all sorts of specialists.I don't want to scare you but I think you deserve the truth and that way you can ask the needed questions to your OB and most likely the cardiologist and the genetics team. Like I said above NO they are not common but if there is going to be a defect with the umbilical cord it is the most common defect.Best of luck.Karolyn