how an umbilical cord supplies nutrients to a baby through its abdomen and how this connection is severed the day of birth?
In: 23
IANAD.
At birth, it is clamped. Clamped in two places about an inch apart actually, allowing for a clean cut. The placenta goes one way, baby goes another. Baby goes home with the clamped nub.
Over a week or so, the nub atrophies. That is, the vessels from the liver and heart aren’t needed and close off without blood running through anymore, the skin around the unused vein and artery die, and scab/scar tissue forms. Sometimes it doesn’t heal well and doctors will help it scab and fall off with silver nitrate.
Meanwhile, the placental site within the uterus was a dinner-plate sized wound that heals over about 2-6 weeks. Mom will still bleed because the uterus doesn’t scab. The uterus should shrink over the course of weeks, helping the wound to close. Too much bleeding is bad, so mom should rest and try to heal, and contact doctors if bleeding is very heavy/there are large clots after a few days or if there is any sign of fever/infection.
Latest Answers