When we talk about the umbilical cord we have to mentioning the placenta. Your baby develops inside your uterus with the help of a life support system that consists of the umbilical cord, placenta and amniotic sac.
In your womb the umbilical cord is attached to the placenta, the placenta is where your baby’s blood picks up oxygen and nutrients from your circulation. Waste products are transferred from the fetal blood to the maternal blood, this happens without the two blood supplies mixing. The placenta is responsible for working as a vessel between you and your baby’s different blood supplies.
The umbilical cord is the life-line that attaches the placenta to your baby. There are three vessels inside the umbilical cord, two arteries and one vein. The vein carries oxygen and nutrient rich blood from the placenta to your baby, and the smaller arteries carries blood to the placenta.
When you give birth the placenta usually comes out of your uterus and is called the after-birth. The umbilical cord can grow up to 60 cm long, giving your baby enough cord to safely move around without damaging the cord or placenta. After birth the umbilical cord gets cut and the remaining section will dry up and fall away; it leaves a scar we call the belly button.
For more information about the growth of your unborn baby, look for the ‘My Pregnancy Journey’ app available on any of the App Stores, or simply find the store link on our website.
*All of our information are only guidelines and are not intended to replace the advice of a professional medical specialist; we are providing information to you on a general information basis only. My Pregnancy Journey disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
