Umbilical Cord

Overview

The umbilical cord is the flexible, tube-like structure that connects a developing fetus to the placenta during pregnancy, carrying oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the fetus and returning waste products for elimination. It is a vital lifeline of fetal development and a structure of considerable clinical and scientific interest. Anatomically, the umbilical cord normally contains two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein embedded in a gelatinous connective tissue called Wharton's jelly, which cushions and protects the vessels. Its formation, length, insertion, and vascular arrangement can influence pregnancy outcomes, and abnormalities of the cord and placenta are studied for their associations with neonatal health. After birth, the umbilical cord and its blood are also recognized as a rich source of stem cells: umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells and cord blood can differentiate into a range of cell types, self-renew, and are investigated for use in regenerative medicine and the treatment of various diseases. Research grouped under this topic reflects these themes, including the anatomical structure of the umbilical cord and its correlation with neonatal outcome, anatomical variants of the placenta, umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells as a source of odontoblasts, the ethics of stem cell research and therapy, and related work on fetal development, pregnancy, and cell-based therapeutic approaches.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 9 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

• Umbilical Cord and Its Effects on Pregnancy Outcomes: A Retrospective Observational Study
  2026 · Journal of South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Relationship between Placental Thickness in 2nd and 3rd-trimester Ultrasound with Neonatal Weight and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Descriptive and Prospective Study
  Mohammadreza Dolikhani et al. · 2025 · Journal of South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Relationship between Placental Thickness in 2nd and 3rd-trimester Ultrasound with Neonatal Weight and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Descriptive and Prospective Study
  2025 · Journal of South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Autologous Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapy in Infertility: New Strategies and Future Perspectives
  Zahirrah Begam Mohamed Rasheed et al. · 2023 · Biology
• Autologous Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapy in Infertility: New Strategies and Future Perspectives
  2023 · Biology
• Mesenchymal stem cells as an adjuvant for the treatment of poi, and as a support in expectant management of placental hematomas and premature rupture of membranes: case report
  Luján Irastorza Jesús Estuardo et al. · 2022 · Obstetrics & Gynecology International Journal
• Mesenchymal stem cells as an adjuvant for the treatment of poi, and as a support in expectant management of placental hematomas and premature rupture of membranes: case report
  2022 · Obstetrics & Gynecology International Journal
• Intrauterine Deaths in North-Eastern Hungary with National and International Comparison
  2018 · Journal of Preventive Medicine And Care

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Umbilical Cord, linking to each citing work.

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.

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