2024 Volume 76 Issue 1 Pages 54-59
Umbilical artery aneurysm is a rare and potentially fatal condition that can lead to fetal demise. We present a case in which an umbilical artery aneurysm was identified in association with intrauterine fetal de- mise. A 30-year-old primigravida received prenatal care at our hospital starting at 35 weeks of gestation. Fetal ultrasound examinations revealed no obvious abnormalities. She went into labor at 39 weeks and 1 day of pregnancy, but the fetus had already died. The umbilical cord consisted of two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein, with a 1.8 cm mass observed in one of the umbilical arteries. Both the placenta and the baby exhibited no anomalies. Pathological examination of the umbilical cord revealed an aneurysm in one of the umbilical arteries, accompanied by intraluminal thrombosis. Thrombosis was also noted within the adjacent umbilical vein. These findings suggest that the umbilical artery aneurysm likely disrupted normal blood flow within the adjacent umbilical vein, ultimately resulting in intrauterine fetal demise. Umbilical artery aneu- rysm is a lethal condition, only few cases had reported result in a favorable fetal prognosis. When an umbili-cal artery aneurysm is recognized during pregnancy, careful management is required, including timing and mode of delivery.〔Adv Obstet Gynecol, 76(1): 54-59, 2024(R6.2)〕
