The placenta is a tissue that develops in the uterus during pregnancy. The placenta works very hard for the baby in the womb during this process. Providing oxygen and nutrients for the baby and removing unwanted substances from the blood are among the duties of the placenta. This tissue, which is vital for the baby, is mostly located on or near the uterus.
So why do placental problems occur? Changes in the placenta may be caused by many factors. Age of the mother, multiple pregnancy, history of surgery, substance abuse, abdominal trauma, high blood pressure and blood clotting disorder can be listed among these factors. Damage to the placenta due to internal or external factors may also cause consequences such as premature birth, cesarean section or heavy blood loss.
Could you have placental problems? Watch out for these symptoms!
Exposure of placental problems before or after birth can have serious consequences for mother and baby. For this reason, body monitoring should be done well during pregnancy. We recommend that you consult your doctor if you experience symptoms of abdominal pain, frequent contractions of the uterus, vaginal bleeding and severe back pain.
It is not possible to directly prevent problems that may occur in the placenta. However, going to regular doctor checks during pregnancy and keeping harmful substances such as cigarettes away from your body can be listed among the quick solutions you can apply.
What you hear about the ‘Baby’s Wife’ placenta will surprise you.
The placenta tissue, which provides the life of babies in the mother’s womb, continues to surprise us with its duties. Are you ready for the mysterious journey of the placenta?
Formation of the placenta
We all know this story in which the sperm triumphs by fertilizing the egg. And where is the placenta in that? The egg fertilized by the sperm begins to grow by dividing into two, four, and then eight.
In this growth phase, the need for nutrients is revealed. The source of the needed food is in the ‘mother’. A group of embryonic cells forms the placenta in order to receive the nutrients provided by the mother.
The structure of the placenta: how does it look?
Have you ever wondered what the placenta looks like? This tissue, which is 22 cm long in humans, has a thickness of about 2-2.5 cm. This temporary organ, weighing 500 grams, is usually red and blue in color.
The cord connecting the fetus and placenta is approximately 60 cm long. The human placenta, which looks like a disc, may differ in other mammals.
Does the placenta provide blood flow?
The placenta is responsible for the secretion of pregnancy hormones. This temporary organ, which is formed only during pregnancy, is the communication tool between the mother and the baby. Exchange of substances is provided between the placenta and the mother and baby.
Contrary to popular belief, blood exchange does not occur during substance exchange. Thanks to the cell barrier in between, the blood of the mother and the baby do not meet or come into contact. Thanks to this mechanism, the mother’s immune system recognizes and accepts the baby.
Communication between mother and baby: placental transmission
The placental tissue begins to nourish the baby without waiting for the mother to realize her pregnancy. For this reason, harmful substances can also be transferred from mother to baby. With the onset of placental transition, the transfer of nutrients, oxygen and water comes into play.
Transference is bilateral in placental passage. The baby transmits harmful substances such as carbon dioxide formed in his body to the mother with the help of the placenta and cord. In other words, it uses the placenta as lungs, liver and kidneys until its own organs are formed.
A short journey inside the womb
We have shared with you that the placenta is located on the sides or above the uterus. What if we told you that you can switch places? In the early stages of pregnancy, the placental tissue can be located close to the lower part of the uterus, that is, the mouth.
In the later stages of pregnancy, it moves towards the upper parts with the growth in the uterus. In order for this place change to occur, it is necessary to wait for the 24th week of pregnancy.
Placental complications: placenta previa and placenta accreta
Placenta previya can be defined as the placement of the placenta under the uterus and closing the cervix. The “leading placenta” problem can put the mother and baby at risk due to the risk of excessive bleeding.
Placenta accreta is the attachment of the placenta to the uterine wall. This problem, which does not show any symptoms, can be revealed by ultrasound. It cannot be prevented. For this reason, necessary precautions should be taken before and after birth after the diagnosis is made.
placental aging
This condition, also known as placental calcification, is the enlargement of the white areas on the placenta. The use of foreign substances such as cigarettes during pregnancy may cause aging of the placenta.
smoking; It can also lead to many problems such as excessive postpartum bleeding, miscarriage, premature birth and placental rupture.
Uses of placenta in medicine
The usage areas of the placenta have led to numerous discussions in the medical community. Today, it has been shared that the placenta is used in the treatment of various diseases.
Placental membranes have been used to create a vagina in the treatment of burns, some eye diseases, and women with immature vaginas. But let’s not forget that these uses are limited in number.
Placenta in cultures
The placenta appears with pregnancy and ends its life in the body with childbirth. Ancient societies, who believed in the sanctity of pregnancy, also saw the placenta as a miraculous structure. For this reason, many rituals specific to the placenta were born. Western societies burned the placenta by associating it with religious factors.
In some societies, the placenta was accepted as the baby’s sibling and was buried near the house. In Eastern cultures, the restorative power of the placenta was believed. For this reason, placentas coming out of the mother’s womb were dried and consumed.
Placentaphagia: what is placenta consumption?
Ingestion of the postpartum placenta, which is common in mammals, has recently become popular among humans. This phenomenon, which is frequently encountered in the media, has existed in some cultures for many years. So, does the ingestion of the placenta have positive effects as it is thought?
Eating placenta has not been observed to make any positive contribution to maternal health. Let’s not go without saying that there are great risks behind the consumption of placenta, which is thought to accelerate postpartum recovery. In addition to having no effect, the possibility of transmission of many dangerous bacteria and viruses with the consumption of the placenta is also very high.
Identical twins can share the same placenta.
In fraternal twins, two different placentas develop when two different eggs are fertilized. But in identical twins, this can get quite interesting. The formation of the placenta after the division of the fertilized egg can lead to identical twins sharing the same placenta.
The placenta is a lifeline that connects mother and baby. The placenta, which meets all the needs of the baby, is actually the first communication tool between the mother and the baby. Despite all the scientific research, placental tissue still holds countless mysteries. Placenta, a temporary organ, accompanies the mother during pregnancy with its parachute-like appearance. It regenerates in each pregnancy and leaves the body after fulfilling its purpose. The first contact between mother and baby is very interesting, don’t you think?
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