Single Umbilical Artery (SUA), Low Risk NIPT — typical baby(ish😂)

Many of yall know my username, as my firstborn had an NT of 4.2mm, with all negative subsequent testing. She was born typical and is a classic silly, emotional 27 month old girlie. We love her! If you’re in this boat, please search 4.2mm in this sub, as I’ve hidden my post history for privacy. Or DM me. I digress.

My second born had a single umbilical artery (SUA). This was discovered at the 20-week anatomy scan. Isolated SUAs are, frankly, no big deal. I don’t mean to underestimate what could happen, but I mean that most of the time, everything’s fine.

My son grew as normal, at around 50%-ish percentile. Around 36w I had low fluid, and I was scheduled for an early c section at 36w6d. He’s fine and consistently maintaining 80%… so he’s a big guy! Doctors maintain that they are unsure if the SUA cause low fluid, but I was already planning on having a c section, so it made most sense to have him 3w earlier than planned. He was term, technically, as term is 37w. He was born at a normal weight and it was effortless!

BUT he does have severe dairy/soy/etc allergies. Not sure if it’s related, and I’ve found nothing to support SUA -> low fluid -> dairy intolerance, but worth a note. I breastfed until about 1 week ago when we switched him entirely to Allimentum, then Neocate, because I was concerned he would have another slip in my dairy free diet and I couldn’t mentally deal with starting over and all his reactionary problems that came with it. boy is it a crazy ride. We put him on an amino acid formula and so far, at 3m, he’s doing better. (Note: hypoallergenic formula is the dairy protein chemically broken down… BUT IT DOES CONTAIN DAIRY. If your child doesn’t tolerate it, then hypoallergenic won’t work for you. Go straight to amino acid formula. Insurance likely covers)

Again, SUAs are not a big deal and they’ll monitor your baby for growth. My doctor said she’s never had someone with a SUA who had growth issues, but a possibility, just not wildly common. Usually baby grows as normal

IF your child begins to fall off growth charts, you’ll be induced or your baby taken early via c.

Best of luck! Please don’t over-think isolated SUAs!

(Side note: will I ever have a normal pregnancy?)