Final answer:
The umbilical cord is clamped and cut immediately after birth to facilitate the baby's transition to independent breathing and to support the necessary circulatory adjustments as the baby adapts to the external environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why Should the Umbilical Cord Be Clamped Immediately After Birth? Upon the birth of a baby, the umbilical cord is typically clamped and cut immediately. This traditional practice serves to collapse the umbilical blood vessels that would naturally occlude within 20 minutes post-birth due to the swelling of Wharton's jelly and constriction of blood vessels in response to the cooler external environment. Clamping the umbilical cord is crucial as it marks the baby's transition to independent breathing, where carbon dioxide buildup in the baby's blood after the cord is cut triggers the first breath. This initial breath leads to the inflation of the lungs and a significant alteration of the circulatory system, which had previously bypassed the lungs and liver during fetal development. For the umbilical cord that remains attached to the baby, the stub dries out, shrivels, and then falls off, generally within three weeks, to form the navel. The umbilical cord cutting is part of the wider circulatory adjustments that take place immediately after birth. It facilitates the closure of fetal shunts and allows for the neonate's transition to the external environment where the lungs take over the role of the placenta. The newborn's circulatory system reconfigures to support its independent existence, with some parts of the umbilical vessels becoming fibrotic while others remain functional.