Umbilical artery
Encyclopedia
The umbilical artery is a paired artery (with one for each half of the body) that is found in the abdominal and pelvic regions. In the fetus, it extends into the umbilical cord
Umbilical cord
In placental mammals, the umbilical cord is the connecting cord from the developing embryo or fetus to the placenta...

.

Umbilical arteries in the fetus

Umbilical arteries supply deoxygenated blood
Venous blood
Venous blood is deoxygenated blood in the circulatory system. It runs in the systemic veins from the organs to the heart. Deoxygenated blood is then pumped by the heart to lungs via the pulmonary arteries, one of the few arteries in the body that carries deoxygenated blood .Venous blood is...

 from the fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...

 to the placenta
Placenta
The placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. "True" placentas are a defining characteristic of eutherian or "placental" mammals, but are also found in some snakes and...

 in the umbilical cord
Umbilical cord
In placental mammals, the umbilical cord is the connecting cord from the developing embryo or fetus to the placenta...

. There are usually two umbilical arteries present together with one umbilical vein
Umbilical vein
The umbilical vein is a vein present during fetal development that carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the growing fetus.The blood pressure inside the umbilical vein is approximately 20 mmHg.-Development:...

 in the cord. The umbilical arteries are actually the latter of the internal iliac arteries that supply the hind limbs with blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....

 and nutrients in the fetus. The umbilical arteries surround the urinary bladder
Urinary bladder
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...

 and then carry all the deoxygenated blood out of the fetus through the umbilical cord.

The umbilical arteries are the only arteries in the human body, aside from the pulmonary arteries, that carry deoxygenated blood.

The pressure inside the umbilical artery is approximately 50 mmHg.

Inside the placenta, the umbilical arteries connect with each other at a distance of approximately 5 mm from the cord insertion in what is called the Hyrtl anastomosis. Subsequently, they branch into chorionic arteries or intraplacental fetal arteries.

Umbilical artery in the adult

The umbilical artery is a branch of the anterior division of the internal iliac artery
Internal iliac artery
The internal iliac artery is the main artery of the pelvis.-Structure:The internal iliac artery supplies the walls and viscera of the pelvis, the buttock, the reproductive organs, and the medial compartment of the thigh...

 and represents the patent (open) part of the embryonic umbilical artery. (The non-patent obliterated part of the artery is the medial umbilical ligament
Medial umbilical ligament
The medial umbilical ligament is a paired structure found in human anatomy. It is on the deep surface of the anterior abdominal wall, and is covered by the medial umbilical folds ....

.) The umbilical artery is found in the pelvis
Pelvis
In human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...

, and gives rise to the superior vesical arteries. In males, it also gives rise to the artery to the ductus deferens
Artery to the ductus deferens
The artery to the ductus deferens, as its name suggests, is an artery in males that provides blood to the vas deferens.-Course:The artery usually arises from the anterior trunk of the superior vesical artery. It accompanies the vas deferens into the testis, where it anastomoses with the testicular...

.

External links

- "The Female Pelvis: Branches of Internal Iliac Artery"
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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