Month 4 Your precious placenta

The placenta is tasked with the important role of preserving, protecting and facilitating the growth and development of the foetus.

Not long ago, it was believed that the placenta shielded an unborn baby from most toxins a mother consumed. However, the placenta is not the perfect barrier we once thought it was, and we now know that – while the placenta does form a barrier for some infectious agents, natural toxins and certain foreign chemical substances – it is not always equipped to handle all the toxins in today’s diets and environment. Such toxins, it has been discovered, may be actively transported to the foetus alongside the substances required for the foetus’ growth and development.

ITS PURPOSE

■ NUTRITION

The placenta facilitates the transfer of nutrients and oxygen from you to the foetus and the transfer of waste products and carbon dioxide back from the foetus to you to expel.

■ IMMUNITY

Your antibodies are transferred through the placenta to the foetus from as early as the 20th week of pregnancy. These antibodies provide protection against infectious diseases to the foetus in utero and continue to protect the newborn for the first several months of his life.

■ ENDOCRINE FUNCTION

The placenta secretes the following hormones that are important during pregnancy:

■ Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which ensures the secretion of progesterone and oestrogen and prevents your body from rejecting the foetus.

■ Human placental lactogen (hPL), which promotes the growth of your mammary glands in preparation for lactation. It also regulates your glucose, protein and fat levels so that they are always available to the foetus.

■ Oestrogen, which contributes to mammary gland development in preparation for lactation and stimulates uterine growth to accommodate the growing foetus.

■ Progesterone, which prevents preterm labour.

Your antibodies are transferred through the placenta to the foetus from as early as the 20th week of pregnancy.