Strollerderby : umbilical cord

Innie or Outie, a Sign of Fertility?

JeanneSager — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:34:00 GMT

The bump or button left behind on your daughter's belly after the umbilical stump falls off could tell you whether you're destined to be a granny.

A University of Finland researcher says the belly button is more than just the cute thing your tot is showing off when she lifts up her shirt every five minutes. It's a sign of "mating potential" in fertile women.

And we just though it was there to pop out in the ninth month to tell us when the baby was done cooking!

Aki Sinkkonen at the University of Helsinki published an article this month in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal theororizing that the shape of the belly button is linked to a woman's fertility: "I suggest that the symmetry, shape, and position of umbilicus can be used to estimate the reproductive potential of fertile females, including risks of certain genetically and maternally inherited fetal anomalies."

The belly button is essentially a scar, signifying how the body reacted to the loss of the umbilical cord stump. It seems to serve no other purpose, Sinkkonen says, one of the reasons she's begun floating her theory (note, a theory, NOT a fact) about innie as fertility signal.

So here's my big question - if it's all about a woman's fertility, why do boys have belly buttons?

Image: GeoParent

Community Raises Money for Blind Toddler's Stem Cell Treatment

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:55:00 GMT

When Joshua Clark of Wales was six months-old, he was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, a congenital condition that, in Joshua’s case, had caused total blindness. Doctors said there was no way to treat the condition.

But his parents, Joanna and Anthony, did some research and found out about a cutting-edge treatment for ONH using umbilical cord stem cells, which is currently only performed in China. They contacted people who had had the treatment, as well as doctors who were familiar with it, and ultimately decided it offered some hope of at least partially restoring Joshua's sight.

In response to the Clarks' fundraising campaign, their entire community has pitched in to help pay for the expensive treatment. A little boy even mailed the Clarks two pounds out of his pocket money, along with a photo of him and his sister.

Joshua’s parents are not hoping for a miracle cure. Rather, they believe the treatment will be well worth it if Joshua comes away with the ability to see lights, shapes, and colors.

According to a video (which I can’t post, but you can watch it here), Joshua is an adorable, calm 16-month-old who loves to listen to music. We have our fingers crossed for a successful outcome to the treatment!

Photo: stemcell.taragana.net

After Miscarriage, Woman Paid $1,000 For a Baby

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:30:00 GMT

This is perhaps the most bizarre tale of child endangerment that you’ll ever read—and, thank God, the baby involved is unharmed, though in need of loving parents.

A Pennsylvania woman named Andrea Curry-Demus called paramedics last week and said she had just given birth prematurely. She was rushed to the hospital with an infant whose umbilical cord was still attached. Doctors were immediately suspicious of the woman’s story since the baby appeared to be full-term. After examining Curry-Demus, they determined that she had not given birth and called the police. Blood and hormone tests later revealed that Curry-Demus is not the baby’s mother.

The 38-year-old woman told police that she had a miscarriage in June, but she didn’t want to disappoint her mother by telling her the truth. So she befriended a pregnant woman named Tina, and arranged to give Tina $1,000 for her baby. According to Curry-Demus, Tina showed up at her apartment carrying the newborn, with the umbilical cord still attached. That's when Curry-Demus called an ambulance.

The healthy baby remains at the hospital while police try to identify who the birth mother is. Curry-Demus, who faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, claims she's done nothing wrong.

Photo: totalbabyguide.com

Update:

Body Found in Curry-Demus' Apartment

Strollerderby : umbilical cord

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Community Raises Money for Blind Toddler's Stem Cell Treatment

After Miscarriage, Woman Paid $1,000 For a Baby