umbilical cord

Examples of umbilical cord in the following topics:

• Fetal Circulation

  • The fetal circulation includes the blood vessels within the placenta and the umbilical cord that carry fetal blood.
  • The fetal circulation is the circulatory system of a human fetus, often encompassing the entire fetoplacental circulation that also includes the umbilical cord and the blood vessels within the placenta that carry fetal blood .
  • The fetus obtains oxygen and nutrients from the mother through the placenta and the umbilical cord.
  • Blood from the placenta is carried to the fetus by the umbilical vein.
  • The branch of the umbilical vein that supplies the right lobe of the liver first joins with the portal vein.

• Placenta

  • The placenta connects to the fetus by an umbilical cord of approximately 55–60 cm in length that contains two arteries and one vein.
  • Unlike the majority of systemic vessels the arteries in the umbilical cord carry de-oxygenated blood and the vein  carries oxygenated blood.
  • The umbilical cord inserts into the chorionic plate of the placenta.

• Prenatal Brain Development

  • During the germinal stage, the cells necessary for the placenta, umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid will differentiate to form the embryo.
  • The placenta is a structure connected to the uterus that provides nourishment and oxygen from the woman's body to the developing embryo through the umbilical cord.
  • The first part of the embryo to develop is the neural tube, which will become the spinal cord and brain.
  • During the germinal stage of prenatal development, the cells necessary for the placenta, umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid will differentiate to form the embryo.

• Oxytocin and Childbirth

  • The baby's mouth and nose are cleared of fluids, and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut.

• Labor and Birth

  • During stage two, the baby is expelled from the uterus with the umbilical cord still attached.

• Stages of Labor

  • Placental expulsion can be managed actively, by giving a uterotonic, such as oxytocin, along with appropriate cord traction and fundal massage to assist in delivering the placenta by a skilled birth attendant.
  • The umbilical cord is routinely clamped and cut in this stage, but it would normally close naturally even if not clamped and cut.

• Gene Expression in Stem Cells

  • Stem cells can also be taken from umbilical cord blood just after birth.

• Down Syndrome

  • Genetic counseling along with genetic testing, such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), or percutaneous umbilical cord blood sampling can be offered to families who may have an increased chance of having a child with Down syndrome, or where normal prenatal exams indicate possible problems.

• Development of the Urinary System

  • The allantois degenerates and remains in the adult as a fibrous cord called the urachus (median umbilical ligament).

• Yolk Sac Development

  • At the end of the fourth week, the yolk sac has the appearance of a small pear-shaped vesicle (umbilical vesicle) opening into the digestive tube by a long narrow tube, the vitelline duct.
  • It may be attached by a fibrous cord to the abdominal wall at the umbilicus.