What it means
A flat, round organ attached to the wall of the uterusYOO-ter-usThe hollow, muscular organ in the female pelvis where a fetus grows during pregnancy; the womb.uter/o uterusalso hyster/o and metr/o Full entry and joined to the fetusFEE-tusAn unborn baby from about the ninth week of development until birth.Full entry by the umbilical cord. It carries oxygen and nutrients to the fetus and takes away its wastes, and it makes hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropinHYOO-mun kor-ee-ON-ik goh-nad-oh-TROH-pinA hormone made by the placenta during pregnancy, measured in blood or urine as a pregnancy test.Full entry and progesterone. Many drugs cross it. It is delivered after the baby, in the third stage of labor.
For the nurse
After the placenta is delivered, check that it is whole, since pieces left inside can cause bleeding and infection. Placenta previa (placenta over the cervix) and placental abruption (early separation) cause bleeding in pregnancy and are reported right away.
At a glance
| Spanish | placenta |
|---|---|
| Also written | placentas |
Related terms
fetus
An unborn baby from about the ninth week of development until birth.
uterus
The hollow, muscular organ in the female pelvis where a fetus grows during pregnancy; the womb.
human chorionic gonadotropin
A hormone made by the placenta during pregnancy, measured in blood or urine as a pregnancy test.
gestation
The time a baby develops in the uterus, from conception to birth; pregnancy.