Placenta: Overview, Anatomy, Function & Complications (original) (raw)

Where does the placenta form?

The placenta can form anywhere in your uterus. It develops wherever the fertilized egg implants into your uterine wall. Some of the positions of the placenta are:

• Posterior placenta: The placenta grows on the back wall of your uterus.
• Anterior placenta: The placenta grows on the front wall of your uterus closest to your abdomen.
• Fundal placenta: The placenta grows at the top of your uterus.
• Lateral placenta: The placenta grows on the right or left wall of your uterus.

The placenta can move up until about 32 weeks of pregnancy. It's common to have a placenta that moves upwards and away from your cervix as your baby gets bigger.

What does the placenta look like?

The placenta looks like a disc of bumpy tissue rich in blood vessels, making it appear dark red at term. Most of the mature placental tissue is made up of blood vessels. They connect with the baby through the umbilical cord and branch throughout the placenta disc like the limbs of a tree.

What color is the placenta?

The placenta has two sides: the side attached to your uterus and the side closest to your baby. The side attached to your uterine wall is a deep reddish blue color, while the side facing your baby is gray.

How big is a normal placenta?

The placenta is about 10 inches long and 1 inch thick at its center. It weighs around 16 ounces (1 pound) by the time your baby is born.

What is the placenta made of?

The placenta begins to develop when the fertilized egg implants into your uterine wall. The placenta contains mostly blood vessels contained within structures called “villi.” The blood vessels connect with the baby’s bloodstream through the umbilical cord. The rest of the placental tissues mainly connect the villi to the umbilical cord and allow your blood to bathe the villi, supplying the baby with oxygen and nutrients.