What Composes an Umbilical Cord?

Umbilical cords are made up of several different components, one of which is a jelly that is found nowhere else in the human body. While umbilical cords are perfectly suited to shuttle nutrients to the fetus, they also contain important components that can help save lives beyond the womb.

Features

• Human umbilical cords are comprised of various materials that develop naturally in the womb. A fertilized egg is initially encased in a yolk sac, which provides all the nutrients it needs. Once the fetus is in about its fifth week of development, part of the yolk sac begins to form the cord. Other components come together to complete the cord's formation. The main component is Wharton's Jelly, a thick, whitish substance that is unlike anything else found in the human body. The jelly protects the vein and arteries that also form in the cord. Human umbilical cords are usually about 20 inches long and less than an inch in circumference.

Function

• The umbilical cord connects the fetus to the mother's womb, specifically the placenta surrounding the fetus. It transports necessary nutrients from mother to baby. The cord contains one vein and two arteries to pump in fresh blood from the placenta and send out depleted, deoxygenated blood. Some cords may form with only one artery, which does not necessarily lead to any birth defects in the newborn.

Benefits

• The blood inside the umbilical cord is a rich source of stem cells. Stem cells have the ability to divide and form into any type of cell needed to replace those that have been depleted. Stem cells are extremely beneficial for bone marrow transplants, especially for patients receiving treatment for leukemia. Cord blood from a newborn's umbilical cord can be extracted and frozen for later use should the child need such a procedure.

Considerations

• Keeping a newborn's umbilical cord stump clean and dry is a priority. The stump is made up of the remnants of the cord where it was snipped after birth. It usually dries up and falls off within eight to ten days. Many physicians recommending swabbing the cord stump with a gauze pad saturated in alcohol to get rid of any odor and oozing produced during the drying process. Since the cord is made up of natural substances, its remnants will not harm the newborn while it remains connected.

Warning

• Infection can set in surrounding a freshly cut cord stump that is not cared for properly. Bathing a newborn in the bathtub before the stump falls off, not allowing air to circulate around the cord stump or covering it with a bandage are prime causes of infection. Infections will be evident by some warning signs. These include fever or general malaise, a swollen or red naval and surrounding area or pus at the base of the cord stump.