Abstract
Objective: Data on umbilical vein varix (UVV) and associated perinatal outcomes are sparse.
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study from a single institution using a standard care plan for pregnancies affected by UVV from 2012-2021. Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized as appropriate with intent to stratify UVV by isolated cases without anatomic defects or abnormal aneuploidy screening/testing vs. non-isolated cases.
Results: 132 pregnancies with fetal UVV were included. Among these,131 livebirths occurred. Mean gestational age at delivery of the livebirths was 36 weeks and 6 days (SD 1.7 weeks). 51 (38.9%) livebirths required NICU admission, which occurred more commonly those preterm (58.1% preterm vs. 25.0% term, respectively; OR 4.17 95 CI 1.98, 8.80). NICU admission was not affected by size of UVV or presence of filling defect (NS). There were no perinatal deaths among pregnancies affected by isolated UVV; however, among the 33 pregnancies affected by non-isolated UVV, there were 2 (6.1%) perinatal deaths.
Conclusion: Non-isolation of UVV was predictive of poor perinatal outcome, whereas size of UVV and presence of a filling defect was not. Evidence to justify antenatal testing and 37-week delivery remains insufficient in isolated UVV.
Keywords
Umbilical vein varix, Perinatal mortality, Antenatal testing, Prenatal diagnosis, Adverse pregnancy outcome, Prenatal diagnosis