cord, Umbilical << uhm BIHL uh kuhl, >> is a ropelike structure that connects a developing baby to the placenta during pregnancy (see Placenta ). The cord contains two arteries and one vein. The arteries carry blood containing waste products from the developing baby to the placenta. The vein carries blood containing oxygen and food substances obtained from the mother’s blood back to the baby. When the baby is born, the doctor carefully cuts the umbilical cord about 2 inches (5 centimeters) from the baby’s abdomen. The baby’s lungs, liver, and other organs then take over the functions performed by the placenta and the mother. The remaining stump of the umbilical cord falls off within 7 to 10 days, leaving the navel, also called the umbilicus, which remains throughout life. See also Childbirth .
