ROLE OF COLOR-FLOW DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN DIAGNOSING VELAMENTOUS INSERTION OF THE UMBILICAL-CORD AND VASA-PREVIA - A REPORT OF 2 CASES

BACKGROUND: Prenatal diagnosis of velamentous insertion of the umbilic al cord is of practical importance since unsupported vessels in the am nion may be lacerated at the time of membrane rupture. Failure to diag nose ruptured vessels may lead to fetal death. The incidence of velame ntous insertion of the umbilical cord is about 1% in singleton pregnan cies. This mode of insertion occurs much more frequently with multifet al pregnancies. CASES: Two cases of velamentous insertion of the umbil ical cord unrelated to vasa previa were diagnosed prenatally with colo r Doppler ultrasound in women with twin gestations. Both women deliver ed uneventfully by cesarean section. The velamentous insertion diagnos is teas confirmed postnatally in both cases. CONCLUSION: Color flow Do ppler ultrasonography can be used in the second and third trimesters o f pregnancy to identify potentially lethal structural abnormalities of the umbilical cord.