It is used to hold the cord in place when a cut is made to separate a newborn baby from the placenta.
Through two arteries and a vein in the cord, nourishment and oxygen pass from the blood vessels in the placenta to the fetus, and waste products pass from the fetus to the placenta. Soon after birth, the umbilical cord is clamped or tied and then cut. The part that is attached to the placenta, still in the uterus, is expelled with the placenta. The stump that remains attached to the baby's abdomen is about 2 inches (5 cm) long. After a few days it falls off naturally. Clamping the umbilical cord. umbilical. pertaining to the umbilicus. umbilical cord the structure that connects the fetus and placenta; it is the lifeline of the fetus in the uterus throughout pregnancy. About 2 weeks after conception, the umbilical cord and the placenta are sufficiently developed to begin their functions.  During prenatal development, the umbilical cord is physiologically and genetically part of the fetus and, (in humans), normally contains two arteries (the umbilical arteries) and one vein (the umbilical vein), buried within Wharton's jelly. The cord can be clamped at different times; however delaying the clamping of the umbilical cord until one minute after birth improves outcomes as long as there is the ability to treat jaundice if it occurs. Clamping is followed by cutting of the cord, which is painless due to the absence of nerves. The umbilical cord connects a baby in the womb to its mother. It runs from an opening in your baby’s stomach to the placenta in the womb. The average cord is about 50cm (20 inches) long. The cord will then be cut between the two clamps, leaving a stump about 2-3cm (1-1½ inches) long on your baby’s belly button. Your midwife will cut the cord or, with their agreement, you or your birth partner could do it. There are no nerves in the cord, so cutting it isn’t painful for you or the baby. Available in 50 and 100 count. Umbilical Cord Clamps help to prevent the introduction of bacteria into the newborn animal and also prevents stress from sprays, dips or other environmental irritations. Directons: Place clamp approximately 3/16 from top of umbilical cord as soon as possible after brith and remove after 24 to 48 hours. Make sure to cut cord below clamp to prevent suckling. May be used on calves, colts, pigs, sheep, etc When the clamp is closed about an umbilical cord, portions of the cord are squeezed into the cord-receiving channel and this, particularly in cooperation with the teeth 20, provides a very secure grip on the cord and the same is retained in position, even though the cord may be cut very closely adjacent the clamp. 128-346) This inventon relates to a clamp, and more particularly to a clamp particularly adapted for use in clamping the umbilical of a newborn infant. It is the general object of the present inventon to produce 'a new and improved umbilical cord clamp of the Character described. The clamp can be removed when the cord is completely dry. The cord falls off by itself in about two to three weeks. Because the umbilical cord may be a place for infection to enter the baby's body, it is important to care for it properly. Within a few minutes after birth, the cord is clamped and cut close to the navel. The clamp helps stop bleeding from the three blood vessels in the umbilical cord--two arteries and one vein. A medication is sometimes applied to the cord as part of a baby's first care. An umbilical cord clamp may be used to hold the cord in place when a cut is made to separate a newborn baby from the placenta. This procedure usually first involves clamping the cord. The umbilical cord clamp thus refers to the devices used to hold the cord in place when the cut is made, and the clamp may stay on for several days while the remaining cord attached to the baby dries. There can be some variance in appearance of the umbilical cord clamp pertaining to the umbilicus. umbilical cord the structure that connects the fetus and placenta; it is the lifeline of the fetus in the uterus throughout pregnancy. About 2 weeks after conception, the umbilical cord and the placenta are sufficiently developed to begin their functions. The part that is attached to the placenta, still in the uterus, is expelled with the placenta. The stump that remains attached to the baby's abdomen is about 2 inches (5 cm) long. After a few days it falls off naturally. Clamping the umbilical cord.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/umbilical+clamp http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/umbilical+cord https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbilical_cord http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2299.aspx?CategoryID=54 http://animart.com/store/umbilical-clamps/ http://www.google.com/patents/US3247852 http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/newborn-umbilical-cord-care http://www.wisegeekhealth.com/what-is-an-umbilical-cord-clamp.htm http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/umbilical+clamp
what is a umbilical clamp used for