The Vital Link Emergency Response

ATTACHED TO THE WALL of the uterus, the placenta connects you to your baby via the umbilical cord and supplies all the baby’s needs while in the Womb.Beginning as a small cluster of cell, the placenta becomes deeply embedded in the wall as it grOws and develops ever more co inctions. At the birth of your baby. the placenta consists of a flat. round or oval disk 18–20 cm (7–8 in) in diameter, and 2.5 cm (1 in) thick.

It weight about 600g (20 oz)- roughly one-sixth of the weight of the baby.The maternal placenta has lowhich are called cotyledons. the foetal side has the umbilical cord growing out of the centre or it, with blood vessels radiating form it.The umbilical cord is about 50 cm (20 in) in length, 2 cm (4 in) in thickness and is Composed of a jelly-like substance. As it develops, the placenta takes over the key functions that sustain the pregnancy. • It produces vital hormones. One of these, human chorionic gonadotrophin (ICG), starts circulating in your blood from the moment that you conceive. .The placenta prevents you from rejecting the baby by by means of a membrane. Your blood does not flow directly into the baby but diffuses through this membrane. The baby’s blood diffuses back the other way. • The placenta provides oxygen and removes waste. The umbilical cord has one blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the baby and two that carry carbon dioxide and waste products away. Blood flows through the placenta at the rate of 36 litre (8 gal) a day at 16 weeks. The a day at full term.• It provides all the baby nutritional needs proteins fo growth; glucose for energy:essential fatty Taking what the o from your blood. the placenta uese some substances straight. Improve the efficiency of the placenta by Eating a balanced diet | Good nutrition is vital for a healthy placenta.* Resting as much as possible Relax the muscles, particularly the abdominals, thereby increasing blood flow to the placenta. Choose a comfortable position and practise deep breathing and visualization for a lost 30 minutes a day during the third trimester e that stress and tension ving your body as you on and that Oxygen is your lungs and blood aching the baby via the placenta as you inhale. Sleeping Most cell repair and cell growth takes place when you are asleep.