Monoamniotic twins delivered liveborn with a forked umbilical cord.
Monoamniotic twins are rare and are associated with high intrauterine mortality rates. This case appears to represent the first report of liveborn monoamniotic monochorionic twins delivered with a bifurcated umbilical cord. Pathological and angiographic studies of the placenta demonstrated a marginally inserted two-vessel umbilical cord that bifurcated at 8.4 cm from the disk into three-vessel umbilical cords supplying each twin. This probably represents the last opportunity for cleavage of the embryo prior to the formation of conjoined twins. A review of eight prior reports of monoamniotic twins with a single, bifurcating umbilical cord is provided.
Fraser
R B
RB
Department of Pathology, IWK-Grace Health Centre for Children, Women and Families, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Liston
R M
RM
Thompson
D L
DL
Wright
J R
JR
D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion; D002823:Chorion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000098:blood supply