•  
  •  

Umbilical Catheter

An umbilical catheter is a flexible tube that is inserted into a blood vessel in a newborn's umbilical cord. This tube provides a painless way of drawing arterial blood for testing and for giving medication, nutrition, and fluids through a vein.

Last Revised: April 14, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine & John Pope, MD - Pediatrics

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more visit Healthwise.org

© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.