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.

• Oxytocin and Childbirth

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Anatomical Changes

  • The umbilical cord connects the embryo or fetus to the placenta.

• 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.

• Overview of the Spinal Cord

  • The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system (CNS).
  • The dura mater is the outermost layer of spinal cord tissue, forming a tough protective coating.
  • The spinal cord is divided into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions.
  • The nerves of the lumbosacral spinal cord supply the pelvic region, legs, and feet.
  • Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves (sensory and motor) branch from the human spinal cord.

• Spinal Cord Trauma

  • A spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma and not disease.
  • A spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease.
  • An incomplete spinal cord injury involves preservation of motor or sensory function below the level of injury in the spinal cord.
  • Because the spinal cord is so dependent on the structural integrity of the spine, if anything happens to the spine, the cord can be crushed or severed.
  • Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) occurs most often in spinal cord-injured individuals with spinal lesions above the T6 spinal cord level, although, it has been known to occur in patients with a lesion as low as T10.