Question

Umbilical cord has

• A. two arteries and one vein
• B. two veins and one artery
• C. one vein and one artery
• D. two arteries and two veins

Hint:

Remember the cord has three vessels in total, not four.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The umbilical cord links the baby to the placenta and normally contains three blood vessels set in a soft protective jelly.

1. Two arteries and one vein: This is the normal pattern. The two arteries carry blood low in oxygen from the baby toward the placenta, and the single vein carries oxygen and nutrient rich blood back to the baby.
2. Two veins and one artery: This does not match normal cord anatomy, which has only one vein.
3. One vein and one artery: A cord with only one artery is an abnormal finding called a single umbilical artery, and it is linked with a higher chance of other birth defects, which is why it is checked for after delivery.
4. Two arteries and two veins: This does not match the normal three vessel pattern of the cord.

The umbilical cord normally carries two arteries and one vein, so this is the correct choice.

Let's summarize:

• The umbilical cord has three vessels: two arteries and one vein.
• The arteries carry blood from the baby to the placenta, the vein carries blood back to the baby.
• A single artery cord is abnormal and prompts a search for other defects.

So the umbilical cord has two arteries and one vein.