Absence of Wharton’s jelly: an association with feto-maternal morbidity

Umbilical cord contains two arteries and one vein connecting fetus to the placenta and is responsible for blood flow between the two. It is surrounded by Wharton’s jelly which is a gelatinous substance and functions as adventitia layer of umbilical vessels, thereby providing insulation and protection to the umbilical cord. Umbilical cord abnormalities are associated with poor perinatal outcomes. Very few cases of absent Wharton’s jelly are reported in literature. Ours might be the 8th one in which we did a lower segment caesarean section for meconium stained liquor but the baby died after 12 hours.