Fetal growth assessment and neonatal birth weight in fetuses with an isolated single umbilical artery.

Overview

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate interval fetal growth and compare the incidence of small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns between fetuses with an isolated single umbilical artery and those with a 3-vessel umbilical cord. METHODS: A retrospective, case-controlled study in which 84 singleton pregnancies with an isolated single umbilical artery were compared with 3-vessel umbilical cord fetuses as the control group. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference between the groups in maternal demographic data, except for ethnicity and neonatal outcomes, respectively. The mean newborn birth weight was similar between the isolated single umbilical artery and the control groups, 3,268 +/- 596 g and 3,274 +/- 627 g, respectively. The prevalence of SGA newborns was 7.1% (6 of 84) in the isolated single umbilical artery group and 4.8% (4 of 84) in the control group. An ultrasound examination demonstrated fetal growth restriction in 50% of cases (3 of 6) in the isolated single umbilical artery group and in 25% of subjects (1 of 4) in the control group, respectively. CONCLUSION: Fetuses with an isolated single umbilical artery are at similar risk for SGA compared with fetuses with 3-vessel umbilical cords. It appears that antepartum serial ultrasound examination does not provide more information for interval fetal growth assessment in fetuses with an isolated single umbilical artery.