Umbilical cord anomalies and antenatal fetal deaths

Structural anomalies of the umbilical cord can affect the normal development of the fetus. These anomalies, i.e., single umbilical artery, absence of Wharton's jelly, embryonic remnants, in the umbilical cord or true neoplasmas, may each, in a different way, be connected with fetal abnormalities. In most instances the umbilical cord anomalies appear in normally developed infants. Antenatal fetal death by these infants has been reported mainly in case reports during the last century. This review therefore seeks to review information that is available on that subject.