What is a Placenta and what is it’s function?

The Placenta is an organ that your body creates and grows from the cells of your baby to keep them alive, it is then expelled when it is no longer needed - this is known as the third stage of labour, depending on how you give birth, your placenta will generally be delivered in the same way.

Your placenta is attached to your uterine wall and is connected to your baby via the umbilical cord. It provides Oxygen, nutrients and antibodies to your baby as well as removing Carbon Dioxide and other waste products from their blood stream. It creates a barrier between you and your baby stopping harmful substances from transferring between your blood streams (it maybe helpful to know that some substances such as alcohol, can cross the placental barrier) it also helps protect them from certain diseases and infections.

In addition to transferring and blocking substances, the placenta also creates hormones to aide in the growth and development of itself and the baby as well as support the parent through pregnancy and birth. Some of these hormones include Oestrogen and Progesterone, these hormones support the lining of the womb and stop it from shedding, which in turn optimises the environment for placental growth and helps stop pregnancy loss. They also play a part in controlling the uterine muscles, rising and falling depending on the stage of pregnancy, either stopping or stimulating the muscles to contract. Other hormones include Relaxin, Placental growth hormone and Kisspeptin, these hormones are protein hormones, and have a large impact on the pregnant persons body, helping it to accommodate the growing baby. They also prepare the body to give birth and feed the baby once it is born, as well as helping to regulate blood vessel formation in the placenta, which is crucial for the transferal of nutrients from parent to baby.

It’s hard not to go on and on about how amazing the placenta is, it is a vital part of both your’s and your baby’s journey through pregnancy and birth. It’s amazing! we are magical, and we should in in awe of what our bodies can do, we certainly don’t give ourselves enough love and respect for it…