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Name: Aiseneya W.
Status: student
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 12/10/2003
Question:
Are Prenatal vessels still functioning or become something else after the umbilical cord is cut and healed?

Replies:
During fetal life the umbilical cord connects the fetus to the mother's circulation. Since the fetus doesn't breathe, the lungs are non-functional. The umbilical cord contains two main vessels: the umbilical artery and the umbilical vein. The umbilical vein carries oxygen from the placenta back to the fetus. The umbilical vein goes through the fetal liver where it divides into two branches. One is the hepatic portal vein, the other is called the ductus venosus. This takes blood to the fetus' inferior vena cava. When the baby is born, the vessels in the umbilical cord constrict and close off and become ligaments.

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