In placental mammals, the umbilical cord (also called the birth cord or funiculus umbilicalis) is a conduit between the developing embryo or fetus and the placenta. During prenatal development, the umbilical cord is physiologically and genetically part of the fetus and (in humans) normally contains two arteries and one vein, buried within Wharton’s jelly. The umbilical vein supplies the fetus with oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood from the placenta.
