Velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord appears in one out of every 100 pregnancies and can prove life-threatening for the fetus. Consequently, prenatal diagnosis through ultrasound scanning is required, at least in women with a risk of vasa previa, such as those with multiple pregnancies, in vitro fertilization, or placenta previa, who will require an elective cesarean section.
We present an extreme case of velamentous insertion of the umbilical cord, in which the vascular distribution was reminiscent of a bird's cage. Surprisingly, there was no vascular injury.