The placenta: a complete supply for your baby

 Nourish, supply, and protect: Throughout pregnancy, the placenta grows the fetus in your womb. Here you can learn about the functions of this organ.

Placenta ” is a Latin word that means “cake.” A segment of the cellular network that has been formed from the fertilized egg, on its way from the fallopian tubes to the uterus, carries with it the program for the formation of this maternal organ. Those cells immerse themselves in the mucous membrane of the uterus. Like tiny roots, they branch and absorb food.

For 280 days, the placenta supplies the fetus with a continuous flow of food and oxygen and is responsible for returning to the mother what the baby's metabolism does not need.

The placenta reliably supplies the baby with what it needs until it is born. At that time it is shaped like a disc, with a diameter of between 15 and 20 centimeters, and weighs about 500 grams. When the child comes into the world, the placenta quickly detaches from its connection with the lining of the uterus to be expelled.

From the beginning, the expectant mother and her baby have independent blood circulatory systems, which means that their blood does not mix. Only three layers of cells prevent direct exchange in the very fine blood vessels in the area of ​​the placenta directed toward the child. This membrane is known as the decidua basalis and it works by allowing food and oxygen molecules to pass to the child and returning others that could harm the child.

However, decidua basalis is a reliable protection only against substances that man has already known for a long time, but is not capable of filtering others such as certain components of certain medications, for example. That is why it is so important to always consult your doctor before taking any medication during pregnancy.

The placenta creates estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is the substance responsible for forming women: under its influence, the breasts grow the mammary glands unfold, the skin becomes soft and flexible and the hair grows. Progesterone, for its part, protects pregnancy, providing peace of mind to the muscles of the uterus.

The placenta multiplies the level of estrogen and progesterone, so after giving birth, the woman feels a bit like she is in a detox phase, as she must endure the steep drop in hormonal levels.

A stockpile full of food

To feed the baby in the womb, the maternal body now supplies the placenta with priority and the blood circulation is diverted, so to speak, focusing on the womb.

The placenta is now the organ that collects most of the nutritional substances from the blood, something that from the 20th week of gestation onwards, future mothers already feel frequently. They get dizzy quickly, for example, in the mornings, when the baby has taken food from her body throughout the night. That's why you need a quick and complete breakfast. You should also eat small meals between meals to avoid collapsing.

Breathe for two

Every living being needs oxygen, which is why the fetus first takes that substance from your blood: its molecules are the fastest to cross the membrane that separates the maternal and fetal circulation. Lack of oxygen would slow down the baby's development.

Unfortunately, the placenta is very sensitive to nicotine: the fine branches become tangled temporarily and the baby receives less “air”, which is why it is recommended that the future mother give up smoking from the beginning of pregnancy.

Anything that has the effect of breathing deeply (playing sports, climbing stairs, a long walk...) is, however, like a fitness program for your baby.

A look that requires courage

In movie births, you never see delivery, the moment when the woman expels the placenta. For laymen, seeing that dark red organ takes a bit of getting used to, it's not particularly pleasant. That's why new parents shouldn't force themselves to look at it if they don't want to.

When the woman gives birth, the placenta is carefully analyzed to see if it is complete, since the remains in the uterus could cause infections.