A nurse in labor and delivery is caring for a client. Following delivery of the placenta, the nurse examines the umbilical cord. Which of the following vessels should the nurse expect to observe in the umbilical cord?

Rationale: A. One artery and one vein is incorrect because a normal umbilical cord contains three vessels, not two. A cord with a single artery and one vein indicates a condition known as a single umbilical artery (SUA). SUA is associated with an increased risk of congenital anomalies such as renal malformations, cardiac defects, and chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, while it can occur, it is not the expected or normal finding during a routine assessment after delivery. B. Two veins and one artery is incorrect because fetal circulation includes only one umbilical vein. The umbilical vein is responsible for transporting oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus. Having two veins is not part of normal development and would represent a vascular abnormality rather than a normal anatomical structure. C. Two arteries and one vein is correct because this is the normal structure of the umbilical cord. The two umbilical arteries carry deoxygenated blood and metabolic waste from the fetus to the placenta. The single umbilical vein carries oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood from the placenta to the fetus, entering fetal circulation through the liver and the ductus venosus. This three-vessel configuration indicates normal fetal development and is what the nurse should expect to observe upon examining the cord after placental delivery. D. Two arteries and two veins is incorrect because a four-vessel umbilical cord is not physiologically normal. This would indicate a rare congenital anomaly and is not the expected finding during a routine postpartum cord assessment.