What is the placenta in humans, and what is it there for?

Question

What is the placenta in humans, and what is it there for?

Answer 1

The first answer gives you all the information about the placenta - I was just gonna add that the placenta is the "other half" of the embryo.   So when the sperm meets the egg the first split into two cells, then 4, 8,16 and so on - when it implants half the cells go about making the placenta, cord, sac and the other half make the baby.

So the placenta is like the other half of the baby almost and it is one of the most advanced organs in mammals.  It acts as a life support for the developing embryo and then fetus and then baby...  

It is one of the most fascinating organs.  It only has a lifespan of about 9 months but it absolutely brilliant at it's job - nourishment of baby.  Interestingly enough where it attaches to the uterus lining it develops specialist cells that allow the transfer of nutrients and oxygen from the maternal blood to the fetus' blood without the two different bloods ever mixing - this is a little miracle in itself and it's functions are an endless list of what it takes to sustain life...  Nothing in the medical field can compare with it's capabilities of sustaining life.

Answer 2

The placenta is an organ, rooted to the lining of the womb, which links your baby's blood supply to your own, while also keeping the two separate. By linking to your blood supply, the placenta carries out functions that your unborn baby can't perform for itself.

Your unborn baby floats and moves in a bag of fluid called the amniotic sac, which is made of membranes. The placenta is linked to your baby by the umbilical cord.

What does the placenta do?

Oxygen and food pass from your blood supply into the placenta. From there, the umbilical cord carries the oxygen and food to your unborn baby. Waste products from the baby, such as carbon dioxide, are returned along the umbilical cord back to the placenta and then into your bloodstream.

Antibodies pass to the baby in the same way, to protect against infection. The placenta protects your baby against most bacteria; the few exceptions include those that cause syphilis and tuberculosis.

Viruses, however, can cross the placenta freely, for example, the rubella virus (German measles) which can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or birth defects such as deafness, brain damage, heart defects and cataracts.

Alcohol, nicotine and other drugs can also cross the placenta and can cause damage to your unborn baby.

The placenta produces hormones that help your baby to grow and develop. Towards the end of your pregnancy, the placenta passes antibodies from you to your baby, giving it immunity for the first three months after birth.

What happens after my baby is born?

After your baby is born, in the third stage of labour, more contractions will push the placenta out through the v****a. The placenta at this stage is also called the afterbirth.

You can choose to be given an oxytocic drug to stimulate contractions and help push the placenta out. Your midwife will inject the drug into your thigh just as the baby is born. It makes the womb contract so that the placenta comes away from the wall of your womb. This also helps to prevent the heavy bleeding that some women may experience.

You can also choose to let your body push the placenta out in its own time, which may involve some loss of blood.

After the birth, your midwife will inspect the placenta and membranes, to make sure they are complete and nothing has been left behind.

Answer 3

The placenta protects a baby as it grows in the womb, prior to birth.

Answer 4

the placenta is a large  organ that attatches itself to your uteran wall and that is attatched to the umbilical cord which is attatched to your baby. the placenta is for feeding your baby in uteran. it gets all the nutrients and what not from what you eat and passes it along to your growing baby.  it is also called the afterbirth cuz well it comes out afterbirth lol.