Term
| The umbilical arteries carry well/poorly oxygenated blood to the placenta and the umbilical vein carries well/poorly oxygenated blood to the fetus. |
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Definition
| poorly/well. The critical thing to know is that in this system the arteries carry poorly oxygenated blood while the vein carries the oxygenated blood after it has exchanged gas and nutrients with maternal blood at the placental site. (V 566) |
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Term
| Name three functions of the placenta. |
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Definition
| 1. oxygen/carbon-dioxide exchange for the fetus. 2. passage of essential nutrients to fetus 3. excretion of metabolic wastes of fetus 4. protects fetus by transferring maternal antibodies to the fetus 5. synthesizes hormones essential to the maintenance and well-being of the pregnancy. Another way to put it: 1. organ of metabolism, 2. organ of transfer, 3. endocrine organ in the synthesis, production, and secretion of protein and steroid hormones. (V 567) |
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Term
| Name 10 substances that cross the placental membrane. |
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Definition
| oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, vitamins, minerals, glucose, electrolytes, amino acids, whole proteins, lipids, waste products (urea, uric acid, bilirubin), hormones, maternal antibodies to selected diseases, most drugs and pharmacologic agents, selected viral/protozoal and bacterial infections. (V 568) |
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Term
| Name the four hormones that the placenta synthesizes, produces and secretes. |
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Definition
| Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human placental lactogen (hPL), estrogens, progesterone |
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