Placenta, Cord And Sac: Your Baby’s Life Support System
The development of the baby in the womb requires a life support system made up of the placenta, the cord and the yolk sac. This system is responsible for keeping it alive, while allowing its growth. Each part is formed solely for the current pregnancy and has a specific and essential function.
Each placenta, cord and sac belongs solely and exclusively to a specific pregnancy. Therefore, they are not reusable organs. It should be noted that these bodies do not intervene in any other process either.
If the mother has a child again, it will have a new system. In the case of a multiple pregnancy, the placental compartment can occur in identical twins. In most cases, twins or multiples have different sacks and their own cord as well. Only when they are twins can they share any of these organs.
Placenta, cord and sac, what are they and what are they for?
The placenta
The placenta is an organ that attaches to the uterus and connects to the baby through the umbilical cord. Its function is to produce pregnancy hormones, for example human chorionic gonadotropin hCG. It also produces progesterone and estrogen.
In this body falls the responsibility of acting as a link between the mother and the child, regarding the blood supply. The blood that circulates through the fetus is from the mother, but operated from the placenta. Through this blood, oxygen and nutrients from the pregnant woman are transferred to the fetus.
For its part, the waste material that comes from the fetus is also 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, as its work ends at this time. This process is called “posthumous birth.” This life support of the fetus can bring serious inconvenience to the fetus if it fails at some point in the process. As the fetus develops, pressure builds on the placenta, commonly leading to bleeding and other complications.
The umbilical cord
The cord is the vital connecting line between the placenta and the baby. As we have said before, the placenta is a kind of center of operations between mother and child. For its part, the umbilical cord is responsible for bringing and carrying the corresponding information, as a bridge.
This element is made up of blood vessels, which are a pair of small arteries and a large vein. The two arteries are responsible for carrying blood to the placenta. For its part, the vein brings blood back to the fetus.
Normally, the umbilical cord can grow to about 60 centimeters. The purpose of its length is that the baby can move freely. In addition, its composition allows it to be resistant to potential damage caused by fetal movements.
After delivery, the cord is attached to the baby and the placenta, not the mother. It is cut, so most of it is thrown away. The other end heals the baby’s skin, giving rise to the navel.
Yolk or amniotic sac
The yolk sac is an organ that fills with amniotic fluid. Its function is to house the fetus throughout the gestation process. It serves as a coat, play room and home for your baby, indispensable. In the amniotic sac the baby develops under the conditions that nature determines.
Its composition is ideal so that it can remain suspended, while allowing mobility and protection against external actions. In order for the bag conditions to be ideal, it is graduated at an approximate temperature of 37.6 ºC. For greater effectiveness, it is necessary that said temperature is a few tenths above the mother’s.
The fluid present in the yolk sac increases as the pregnancy develops. At week 10, 30 ml of fluid is estimated. Around week 36, the amount will have increased to approximately one liter.
This liquid does not leave the mother’s body until the moment of delivery, it even leaves before the baby. This is the first time the baby has been out of a watery environment. However, the baby still clings to the placenta and cord, which complete its vital system.
