How does the foetus gets nourishment?5 marks
The placenta is the important in-between-link between the mother’s body and the fetus. The placenta is gut, lungs, liver and kidneys combined in one organ.Growth and function of the normal human placenta.When the blood to be transported through the umbilical cord has the right amount of nutrients and oxygen, it is transported into the fetus. The fetus metabolizes everything and sends the deoxygenated, nutrient poor blood back to the placenta. There is a single vein (nutrient rich and oxygenated blood) going from the placenta to the fetus and there are two arteries (oxygen-poor, nutrient-poor blood) going from the fetus back to the placenta.Umbilical cord - Wikipedia
In order for food to reach the fetus, the mother digests it first in her gut. Her liver breaks the nutrients down. Whatever circulates in her blood reaches the placenta , from where it is transported directly into the fetus’ blood. Some physiologists liken the fetus to a “human parasite”. We all were “parasites” before we were born.
The placenta is the important in-between-link between the mother’s body and the fetus. The placenta is gut, lungs, liver and kidneys combined in one organ.Growth and function of the normal human placenta.When the blood to be transported through the umbilical cord has the right amount of nutrients and oxygen, it is transported into the fetus. The fetus metabolizes everything and sends the deoxygenated, nutrient poor blood back to the placenta. There is a single vein (nutrient rich and oxygenated blood) going from the placenta to the fetus and there are two arteries (oxygen-poor, nutrient-poor blood) going from the fetus back to the placenta.Umbilical cord - Wikipedia
In order for food to reach the fetus, the mother digests it first in her gut. Her liver breaks the nutrients down. Whatever circulates in her blood reaches the placenta , from where it is transported directly into the fetus’ blood. Some physiologists liken the fetus to a “human parasite”. We all were “parasites” before we were born.
