the placenta is attached to the mother at the placental barrier.
the placenta is attached to the mother at the placental barrier.
where is the placenta attached to the mother?
placental barrier
the fetus and embryo develop within the uterus, an organ that sits within the pelvis of the mother. the process the mother experiences whilst carrying the fetus or embryo is referred to as pregnancy. the placenta connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, thermo-regulation, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply; to fight against internal infection; and to produce hormones which support pregnancy. the placenta provides oxygen and nutrients to growing fetuses and removes waste products from the fetus's blood. the placenta attaches to the wall of the uterus, and the fetus's umbilical cord develops from the placenta. these organs connect the mother and the fetus. placentas are a defining characteristic of placental mammals, but are also found in marsupials and some non-mammals with varying levels of development. the homology of such structures in various viviparous organisms is debatable, and in invertebrates such as arthropoda, is analogous at best.
development of the human body
in some animals, the mother will gnaw through the cord, thus separating the placenta from the offspring. the cord along with the placenta is often eaten by the mother, to provide nourishment and to dispose of tissues that would otherwise attract scavengers or predators. in chimpanzees, the mother leaves the cord in place and nurses her young with the cord and placenta attached until the cord dries out and separates naturally, within a day of birth, at which time the cord is discarded. (this was first documented by zoologists in the wild in 1974.)
umbilical cord