The placenta

Question 1

What roles does the placenta have?

Answer 1

• serves as fetal lungs, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract
• protective barrier
• hormone synthesis

Question 2

What artery supplies the uterus?

Answer 2

uterine artery from internal iliac artery

Question 3

What does the cytotrophoblast do?

Answer 3

• release proteolytic enzymes which allow blastocyts to invade to the endometrium
• leads to villus formation and agiogenesis

Question 4

What do the spiral arteries do?

Answer 4

the funnel into the decidua generating a wide outflow into the intervillus space

Question 5

What are the main differences between maternal and fetal blood flows?

Answer 5

maternal
 - flow is 500-600mL/min
 - intervillus pressure is 10-15 mmHG
fetal
 - flow is 450mL/min
 - capillary pressure is 30mmHg

Question 6

How many blood vessels are there in the umbilical cord?

Answer 6

there are 3 - 2 arteries and 1 vein
arteries - deoxygenated blood
vein - oxygenated blood

Question 7

What is placenta praevia?

Answer 7

lies close to/across the cervical os

Question 8

What is placental abruption?

Answer 8

bleeding in plane between placenta and uterus

Question 9

What is a prolapsed cord?

Answer 9

cord bulges through cervix when membrane ruptures

Question 10

What is pre-eclampsia?

Answer 10

complex disease originating in the placenta that leads to multiple problems form mother and baby
- mothers BP increases a lot