Prenatal Diagnosis of a Furcate Placenta

BACKGROUND: A furcate placental cord insertion is rare and potentially dangerous. Prenatal diagnosis of this finding has been reported on only two prior occasions. CASE: We present the case of a 33-year-old patient who, at 35 weeks of gestation, was suspected on ultrasonography to have a cord insertion that was both furcate and velamentous. Because of this finding, the patient underwent labor induction at 37 weeks of gestation and delivered a vigorous neonate vaginally. Pathologic evaluation confirmed furcate placenta. CONCLUSION: The identification of a furcate placenta, a potentially lethal umbilical cord insertion site abnormality, is possible prenatally. Future research should elucidate the prevalence of furcate cord insertions as well as whether they impose increased fetal risk.