umbilical

Umbilical is an anatomical term relating to the umbilicus, commonly known as the navel. It is used to describe the region around the front of the abdomen and structures linked to the umbilical cord, including vessels, ligaments, and related tissues. The term appears in human anatomy, obstetrics, embryology, and biology, and can also describe analogous features in other animals.

In obstetrics, the umbilical cord connects the fetus to the placenta. It normally contains two arteries and one vein surrounded by Wharton’s jelly. The umbilical vein carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus, while the arteries return deoxygenated blood to the placenta. After birth, the cord is clamped and cut, and its vessels regress into fibrous structures known as ligaments: the ligamentum teres hepatis (from the umbilical vein) and the medial umbilical ligaments (from the distal portions of the umbilical arteries). The urachus, a channel between the fetal bladder and the yolk sac, becomes the median umbilical ligament.

Embryology and anatomy-wise, the umbilical connection forms early in gestation, establishing the placental circulation that sustains fetal life. The umbilical region is also part of the abdominal wall around the navel. Clinical contexts involving the term include umbilical hernias in infants and adults, omphalocele and related congenital conditions, and prenatal assessments such as umbilical cord blood gas analysis to evaluate fetal oxygenation and acid-base status.

In summary, umbilical describes anything pertaining to the umbilicus and its associated structures, especially the umbilical cord and its remnants after birth.