Placenta, Umbilical Cord And Yolk Sac: The System That Keeps Your Baby Alive – You Are Mom

Although it is a system that is common to all babies, it is not an organ that itself intervenes in another process. The structure we are talking about is formed as the pregnancy begins to develop. Each of these items is created exclusively to keep this baby alive.

If the mother has another child, she will have a new system. In the case of pregnancy of twins or of several children, the placenta may be shared between two identical twins. In most cases, twins or “multiple” children have different bags, and also have their own drawstring. It is only when they are identical twins that they can share one of these organs.

Placenta, umbilical cord and yolk sac, what are they and what are they used for?

The placenta

The placenta is an organ that adheres to the uterus and is connected to the baby through the umbilical cord. Its function is to produce the hormones of pregnancy, such as, for example, human chorionic gonadotropin Hcg. It also produces progesterone and estrogen.

This organ is responsible for making the link between mother and child, with regard to the blood supply. The blood that circulates in the fetus is that of the mother, but it is activated from the placenta. Thanks to this blood, the fetus receives oxygen, and the nutrients that come from its mother.

For their part, the wastes that come from the fetus are transported by the blood. However, these products do not mix with each other, thanks to the action of the placenta.

After the baby is born the placenta is expelled, because its labor ends exactly at this time. This process is called “deliverance”. This vital support of the fetus can cause serious problems if it does not work well at some point in the process. As the fetus grows, pressure increases on the placenta, which often leads to bleeding and other complications.

The umbilical cord

The umbilical cord is the vital connection line between the placenta and the baby. As we have already mentioned, the placenta is a kind of center of operations between mother and child. For its part, the umbilical cord is responsible for extracting and transmitting the necessary information, like a bridge.

This element is made up of blood vessels, which are two small arteries and one large vein. The two arteries are responsible for carrying blood to the placenta. And for its part, the vein brings the blood back to the fetus.

An umbilical cord can normally be up to 60 centimeters in length. It has this length so that the baby can move quite freely. On the other hand, its composition allows it to be resistant to potential damage caused by the movements of the fetus.

After childbirth, the cord comes out with the baby and the placenta, and is no longer attached to the mother. It is cut, because most of this cord is waste. The end heals in the baby’s skin, forming the belly button.

The yolk sac or amniotic sac

The yolk sac is an organ that fills with amniotic fluid. Its function is to house the fetus during the whole process of pregnancy. It serves as your baby’s refuge, playroom and home, and is therefore totally indispensable. In the amniotic sac, the baby develops under the conditions that nature provides.

Its composition is ideal for allowing it to stay suspended, at the same time as it allows it to move and be protected against external aggressions. For the conditions inside the bag to be ideal, it adjusts itself to a temperature of around 37.6 ° C. For better growth, it is necessary that this temperature is a few decimal places below the body temperature of the mother.

The liquid in the yolk sac increases in quantity as the pregnancy progresses. During week 10, it is estimated that there is approximately 30 ml of fluid. As we approach week 36, the amount will have increased until it is about a full liter.

This fluid does not leave the mother’s body until the time of delivery. But he comes out before the baby comes out. At this time, it is the first time that the baby has been outside its aqueous environment. However, the baby is still attached to the placenta and the umbilical cord, which complete their vital system.