Vasa Previa
What's shown here is Vasa Previa, which was discovered accidentally during a cesarean section. It's a rare condition in which blood vessels within the placenta or the umbilical cord are trapped between the fetus and the opening to the birth canal (internal orifice), this situation carries a high risk the fetus may die from hemorrhage due to a blood vessel tearing at the time the fetal membranes rupture or during labor and delivery. Another danger is lack of oxygen to the fetus. Unfortunately, due to its rarity, no one really knows for sure what causes vasa previa. It occurs with a low-lying placenta (due to scarring of the uterus by a previous miscarriage), an unusually formed placenta (e.g. bilobed placenta), an in-vitro fertilization pregnancy, and multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc). C-section in indicated when a diagnosis of vasa previa is established. The C-section is typically made prior to rupture of the membranes (i.e. before labor starts) and can save the baby's life. It should be done early enough to avoid an emergency, but late enough to avoid problems associated with prematurity. Photo by @fadishawabkeh
