Congenital absence and hypoplasia of umbilical artery

This code identifies a birth defect characterized by the complete absence of one or both umbilical arteries, or the underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of these arteries. Typically, a normal umbilical cord contains two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein; this condition describes a deviation from that norm. It is often associated with other congenital anomalies.

Assign this code when documentation explicitly states the diagnosis of a single umbilical artery (SUA) or hypoplastic umbilical artery identified prenatally via ultrasound or postnatally upon examination of the umbilical cord. This diagnosis is often made during fetal anomaly scans or at birth.

• Always review the medical record for associated congenital anomalies, as these should be coded separately.
• Do not confuse with other umbilical cord abnormalities like umbilical cord cysts or strictures; this code is specific to arterial absence/hypoplasia.
• Ensure the documentation clearly specifies "absence" or "hypoplasia" of the umbilical artery, not just a generic "umbilical cord anomaly."