Why are belly buttons on the stomach (why does the umbilical cord end up attached to the stomach)?

Question

Belly buttons are at the site where the umbilical cord was attached to us as we developed inside our mothers. The same is true for all placental mammals. Why are belly buttons on the stomach? Why didn't the placement end up somewhere else like the chest, the back, the head, etc.? Is it optimal for the umbilical cord to be near the intestines?

Answer 1

The umbilical cord cannot be located anywhere other than the abdomen as that would be an anatomical and embryological anomaly. After fertilization of the egg, the egg divides into the embryo( which becomes fetus) and placenta. All these major processes must occur within the abdomen from and within the uterus. The uterus cannot be found elsewhere in the body but the abdomen.

Furthermore the umbilical cord has 2 arteries and one vein which is responsible for the exchange of nutrients and expulsion of wastes between the mother and fetus takes place. The belly button is connected to the liver and bladder via veins and ligaments. And as we know the liver and bladder are abdominal structures not thoracic, cranial or back structures or contents.

Gestation, implantation etc all occur within the abdomen hence its natural for the abdomen to house the belly button

Answer 2

Actually yes, Keep in mind that immunity begins in the gut region of the body. The umbilical chord is our first source of nutrition, which is also broken up in the gut. If you look at the umbilicus as out first "feeding" tube, this particular arrangement makes all the sense.