The belly button is a unique mark or scar on the abdomen where the umbilical cord was attached during fetal development. Its appearance is unique to each person, but its location is almost always identical. The umbilical cord houses a vein and two arteries that transport blood between the baby and the placenta. Fashion trends have often focused on the belly button, but in some cultures, an exposed midriff is considered taboo.
A belly button, also called a navel, is a mark or scar on the abdomen, where the umbilical cord was attached to the body during fetal development. When the umbilical cord is removed at birth, the scar may develop so that it protrudes, or it may point inward, or it may show no pattern at all. Identical twins can be differentiated by their navels, if in no other way, as each navel is unique. All mammals that receive nourishment from a placenta during prenatal development have a navel, although it is much more visible in humans than in any other species.
While the exact appearance of each person’s belly button is unique, its location is almost always identical, in terms of proportions. For example, it is found in the part of the abdomen that is exactly between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae of the spine. However, its exact height varies slightly from person to person.
This accuracy in the proportional position is due to the function that the umbilical cord performs before birth, i.e. to transport the blood between the baby and the placenta. It houses a vein and two arteries which lead to corresponding vessels in the baby’s body which in turn lead to the heart. These are necessary as the baby is unable to get oxygen and nutrients any other way. After birth, when the umbilical cord is cut and severed, the lungs begin to oxygenate the blood and the internal blood vessels that used to carry blood to and from the umbilical cord gradually disappear.
The belly button serves as a comfortable focal point on the abdomen. Many fashion trends have mirrored this fact. It has been common, for example, for women to pierce the navel as a place to wear jewellery. Trends like this are usually accompanied by clothing trends that expose the part of the abdomen where the belly button is. These trends are usually only present in women’s fashion, with very few exceptions.
In some cultures outside the Western world, an exposed midriff is considered taboo. This is probably related to the fact that the exposed midriff is considered by most to be mildly provocative. Many cultures, ancient and modern, have viewed the navel in this way. Even in the Old Testament of the Bible, the Song of Songs contains a reference to the navel as one of the many attractive and beautiful features of Solomon’s mistress.
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