• Question: What is the job of the placenta?

    Asked by lgs10joneg to Katie, Jemma, John, Lisa on 25 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by rosario2.
    • Photo: Katie Skeffington

      Katie Skeffington answered on 25 Jun 2012:

      Great question! The placenta is a really important organ – it is the interface between the mother and the fetus, so anything that gets passed from the mother to the fetus, such as nutrients and oxygen, which are both really important to help the fetus grow, pass to the fetus through the placenta. Also the fetus can’t pee waste away from them, so some waste products get passed backwards through the placenta back to the mother, so that she can dispose of them!

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