Umbilical Cord
Umbilical Cord

Umbilical Cord

The umbilical cord is mostly made up of connective tissue known as Wharton's Jelly and has relatively few cells. The cord has one large umbilical vein and two umbilical arteries. These vessels transport blood to and from the placenta, where exchange between the mother and fetus takes place. What is peculiar about the respective oxygen and carbon dioxide contents of the blood in these vessels?
Answer: The umbilical vein carries oxygenated blood to the fetal heart, while the umbilical arteries carry deoxygenated blood away from the fetal heart and to the placenta.