Definition

Noun: 1. A vein in the umbilical cord: The umbilical vein is a specific blood vessel found within the umbilical cord. Its primary function is to transport oxygen-rich, nutrient-rich blood from the placenta to the developing fetus.

Usage Notes

• The is a critical component of fetal circulation, distinct from the two umbilical arteries which carry deoxygenated blood away from the fetus.
• After birth, this vein closes and becomes a fibrous structure known as the ligamentum teres (round ligament of the liver).

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Oxygenated blood is carried from the placenta to the fetus via the umbilical vein.
  • The surgeon carefully identified and clamped the umbilical vein during the procedure.
  • A patent (open) umbilical vein after birth can be a sign of a medical condition.

Advanced Usage

• "Patent umbilical vein": A term used in neonatology to describe an that remains open after birth when it should normally close.
• In medical imaging, the is a key anatomical landmark for assessing fetal development and well-being.

Variants and Related Words

• Vena umbilicalis (n): The Latin anatomical term for the .
• Ductus venosus (n): A fetal blood vessel that connects the to the inferior vena cava, allowing most oxygenated blood to bypass the fetal liver.

Synonyms

• None in common usage: In standard anatomical and medical terminology, is the precise and universally accepted term. Colloquial synonyms are not used due to the term's technical specificity.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• No common idioms: As a highly specific anatomical term, is not used in idiomatic expressions.

Noun

1. a vein in the umbilical cord; returns nutrient blood from the placenta to the fetus