Umbilical Cord‘sโ Spiral Shape Crucial for Fetal Health, Study Reveals
manchester, โคUK – โThe โคdistinctive coiled shape โฃof โthe umbilical cord isn’t just a biological quirk -โข it’s a vital mechanismโค for maintaining stable oxygen and temperature levels for โขdeveloping babies, according to groundbreaking research fromโ The University of โManchester. โคPublished โขtoday in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the study sheds light on a โpreviously underappreciated aspect of prenatal โprogress.
Researchers at The University of Manchester, working alongside colleagues at Manchester โSt Mary’s Hospital and the University of Malaysia, employed mathematical โคmodelling to investigate โhow โthe umbilical cord’s โขspiral structure impacts the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and โคheat between mother โคand fetus.
Their findings demonstrate that the spiral arrangement of blood vesselsโ within the cord significantly influences this exchange, minimizing heat and oxygen โloss. This efficient system helps ensure a baby’s temperature and oxygenโฃ levels remain stable throughoutโ gestation.
“Even though the โumbilical cord is โขessentialโข to life,โข scientists still know little about how its complex coiledโ structure contributesโฃ to its function,” explained researchers in the published study. “Thes new findings shedโฃ light on an overlooked but vital process.”
The researchโข underscores the intricate biological โคengineering at โplayโฃ duringโข pregnancy and opens avenues for further investigation into potential complications arising from variations in umbilicalโ cord structure.