The morning I went to the hospital for my scheduled C-section, I received a stack of consent paperwork to sign regarding the risks and benefits, anesthesia, stitches, and how they would dispose of my placenta after birth. I think this was the first time I ever heard the placenta referred to as an “organ,” and it kind of blew my mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, I think I was surprised because it was the first time I had given my placenta much thought at all. Yet, the placenta is an incredible and fascinating (temporary!) organ grown in a woman\u2019s body for and by another person<\/em>. So, today, let’s learn a few facts about the amazing placenta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Around 9-10 days after conception, the blastocyst (the scientific name for your baby during days 5-12 after conception) implants in the endometrium<\/a> (the lining of your uterus). At this point, the cells of the blastocyst that will eventually become the placenta have “differentiated,\u201d meaning that they\u2019ve separated themselves from the cells that will become the baby. Until they finish forming, though, the endometrium envelops, and provides nutrients to, the growing blastocyst directly [1]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During this time, the mother’s body is directly connected to a poppyseed-sized baby who’s doing the incredibly hard work of growing his or her own body from scratch. The mother\u2019s corpus luteum<\/a> (remember that the corpus luteum is the \u2018leftovers\u2019 after the follicle burst at ovulation<\/a>) produces progesterone<\/a> to sustain the pregnancy until the placenta develops enough to take over that job. This occurs around 12 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The placenta isn\u2019t only <\/em>responsible for progesterone production, however. The placenta also makes a protein called Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) to support the growing baby. Interestingly, GDF-15 has been linked to nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, colloquially known as morning sickness<\/a>. Women have different baseline levels of GDF-15 when not pregnant, and those with a lower baseline or higher sensitivity to GDF-15 may develop hyperemesis gravidarum<\/a>, while the rest of us will more likely see nausea symptoms subside by the second trimester [2].\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the end of pregnancy, the placenta grows to about 9 inches wide and 1 inch thick, and weighs<\/a> about 1 pound (for reference, that\u2019s roughly the size of your standard dinner plate!). The placenta\u2019s maternal side, called the decidua, attaches to the endometrium<\/a> and prevents the mother’s body from rejecting the baby as a foreign invader [3]. This side connects directly to the mother’s bloodstream.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fetal side of the placenta, called the chorion, is formed by the blastocyst’s own cells and connects through the umbilical cord to the baby’s bloodstream. A typical, healthy umbilical cord has two arteries and one vein. (Note that a rare anomaly with only one artery can present increased risks to the baby’s growth.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The placenta functions a lot like a dialysis machine, processing the baby’s blood and performing five main jobs [4]:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research reveals the role both <\/em>parents\u2019 preconception health plays in their child\u2019s health, in utero and beyond. In fact, both Dad\u2019s and Mom\u2019s preconception health may also <\/em>impact Mom\u2019s pregnancy health. You read that correctly! We now know that the Dad’s DNA drives the gene expression in the baby\u2019s side of the placenta<\/a>. His diet, lifestyle, and gut microbiome have an epigenetic<\/a> impact (differences in how genes are expressed based on environmental influences) on placental health and <\/em>impact maternal risk of preeclampsia.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, Mom\u2019s nutrition and exercise also promote healthy placental development. Exercise in particular promotes the production of blood vessels in the placenta, and stimulates Placental Growth Factor (PGF), potentially decreasing her risk of complications like preeclampsia further into her pregnancy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the placenta happens to implant in the front part of the uterus, this is called an “anterior placenta.” It’s absolutely safe, but it can make fetal movement harder to detect. Typically, mothers with anterior placentas will feel “quickening” (a baby’s first fluttering movements) later than they would with the placenta in the back. Movements can also just feel different. Case in point: I myself had an anterior placenta with my 2020 baby, and for the entire pregnancy, her kicks registered in my brain as hunger pangs, even though I knew it was her!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes the site of the placenta’s implantation<\/a> can be a real problem. If the placenta completely covers the cervical opening, called placenta previa, safe vaginal delivery is impossible due to hemorrhage risk. Healthcare professionals will monitor you for bleeding and scheduled for a C-section delivery, usually at \u201cearly term\u201d (around 37 weeks). If the placenta partially covers the cervix, there\u2019s a little gray area in terms of vaginal vs Cesarean birth. Your healthcare professional will discuss risks and benefits with you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, if the placenta implants too deeply in the uterine wall, such as can occur due to scarring from a previous C-section, women may hemorrhage after vaginal birth. Fortunately, 20 week \u201canatomy scan\u201d ultrasounds can detect if the placenta is embedded too deeply so that a plan can be made for a Cesarean birth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re attempting a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC), you’re at a slightly increased risk of placental abruption<\/a>, detachment of the placenta from the uterus before <\/em>the baby is delivered. Placental abruption is a life-threatening emergency for both mother and baby and requires an immediate C-section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A more common placenta-related concern is preeclampsia, which has been tied to placental development issues causing maternal high blood pressure<\/a>. Preeclampsia causes hypertension, liver and kidney damage in the mother and, if it progresses, stroke (at which point it\u2019s known as full-blown eclampsia). It’s a serious condition that usually requires early delivery to resolve.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we have discovered that the father’s DNA impacts the healthy development of the placenta, men’s lifestyle choices may help decrease the risk of their partners contracting preeclampsia in the first place. Fascinatingly, some research suggests that regular pre-pregnancy exposure to the same man\u2019s semen can help prevent preeclampsia<\/a> during pregnancy with his baby.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2024 study at Yale examined 1,256 placentas from previously unexplained stillbirths<\/a> (pregnancy loss after 20 weeks gestation) and determined that the majority of these tragedies were caused by placental defects<\/em> [5]. Read this article<\/a> to learn why Yale researcher Dr. Harvey Kilman encourages all women to ask their doctors to take three specific placental measurements during their routine ultrasounds. It might save your baby’s life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you deliver your baby, either vaginally or surgically, you will deliver your placenta as well. Once the umbilical cord has delivered the last of the baby’s blood back into his body, it will be clamped<\/a> and cut, and among the various checks and procedures performed on both you and your baby, the doctor will perform a quick examination of the placenta.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retained placenta is the primary placenta problem that can occur after birth [6]. If the placenta comes apart during delivery, and some is left inside you, it’s crucial to remove the fragments before they cause life-threatening infection or hemorrhage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once your placenta is delivered and inspected, you don’t have to consent to the hospital disposing of it as medical waste like I did with mine. In fact, there are reasons you might want to keep it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The practice of consuming the placenta, called “placentophagy,” has been growing in popularity in the West since the 1970s. A 2018 literature review noted, \u201cWe found that there is no scientific evidence of any clinical benefit of placentophagy among humans, and no placental nutrients and hormones are retained in sufficient amounts after placenta encapsulation to be potentially helpful to the mother postpartum\u201d [7]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, some claim consuming your placenta <\/a>can rebuild your depleted nutrient stores and help prevent mood disorders like postpartum depression. Placenta encapsulation services dehydrate your placenta for you for easy ingestion during the postpartum period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Placentas can also be donated, either for research, or even as donor tissue. The placental membrane<\/a> has documented usefulness in eye surgery, reconstructive surgery, burn treatment, and wound dressing. More on how to donate your placenta is here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some families and cultures choose a “lotus birth”<\/a> (also known as umbilical nonseverance) where the entire cord and placenta are kept attached to the baby until they detach naturally. This is believed to be a gentler transition to life outside the womb, and to respect the baby’s ownership of the placenta. Robust studies have not yet been done to determine the medical risks and benefits of this practice, but there are concerns<\/a> that the dead tissue of the attached placenta could potentially lead to an infection. There are many considerations involved in planning a lotus birth, including preservation and storage options<\/a>, so do your own research if you’re interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Others, such as the Maori and Cambodian cultures, bury the placenta in the ground. I know a friend who planted a tree over hers in her backyard. Still others use their placenta to make one-of-a-kind art pieces or jewelry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This hard-working but transitory organ is a small but mighty nutritional, oxygenation, and waste removal lifeline for a growing baby, and may even have value after the baby’s birth. While things can (and sometimes do) go wrong during placental development, we learn more every year about the impact both mom and dad\u2019s pre-pregnancy health and wellness can have upon these various issues. I now understand why the placenta warranted its own consent paperwork when I had my C-section! <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tout ce que peut faire cet incroyable organe (temporaire !)","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":22665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5185,5352],"tags":[6377,51,5457],"class_list":{"0":"post-22666","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pregnancy-childbirth","8":"category-pregnancy-health","9":"tag-placenta-health","10":"tag-postpartum","11":"tag-pregnancy-health","12":"cs-entry","13":"cs-video-wrap"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhere does the placenta come from? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The mother\u2019s body makes progesterone until the placenta is ready to do so<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The placenta makes “the morning sickness protein,” GDF-15<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What does the placenta do?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
How to grow a healthy placenta<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Where the placenta implants may affect your ability to feel fetal movement<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Placenta problems<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Preeclampsia<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stillbirth<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The placenta is birthed after the baby<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What to do with the placenta<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Placentophagy or placenta encapsulation<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Donation to science<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lotus birth<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cultural practices around placenta disposal<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The bottom line <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
References:<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n[1] Herrick EJ, Bordoni B. Embryology, Placenta. [Updated 2023 May 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK551634\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[2]Fejzo, M., Rocha, N., Cimino, I. et al.<\/em> GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Nature<\/em> 625, 760\u2013767 (2024). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-023-06921-9<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[3] Balasundaram P, Farhana A. Immunology at the Maternal-Fetal Interface. [Updated 2025 Jan 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK574542\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[4] Gude NM, Roberts CT, Kalionis B, King RG. Growth and function of the normal human placenta. Thromb Res. 2004;114(5-6):397-407. doi: 10.1016\/j.thromres.2004.06.038. PMID: 15507270.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[5] Thompson, B.B., Holzer, P.H. & Kliman, H.J. Placental Pathology Findings in Unexplained Pregnancy Losses. Reprod. Sci.<\/em> 31, 488\u2013504 (2024). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s43032-023-01344-3<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[6] Perlman NC, Carusi DA. Retained placenta after vaginal delivery: risk factors and management. Int J Womens Health. 2019 Oct 7;11:527-534. doi: 10.2147\/IJWH.S218933. PMID: 31632157; PMCID: PMC6789409.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[7] Farr A, Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Baergen RN, Gr\u00fcnebaum A. Human placentophagy: a review. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Apr;218(4):401.e1-401.e11. doi: 10.1016\/j.ajog.2017.08.016. Epub 2017 Aug 30. PMID: 28859955.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![epigenetic<\/a> impact (differences in how genes are expressed based on environmental influences) on placental health and <\/em>impact maternal risk of preeclampsia.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nOf course, Mom\u2019s nutrition and exercise also promote healthy placental development. Exercise in particular promotes the production of blood vessels in the placenta, and stimulates Placental Growth Factor (PGF), potentially decreasing her risk of complications like preeclampsia further into her pregnancy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere the placenta implants may affect your ability to feel fetal movement<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf the placenta happens to implant in the front part of the uterus, this is called an “anterior placenta.” It’s absolutely safe, but it can make fetal movement harder to detect. Typically, mothers with anterior placentas will feel “quickening” (a baby’s first fluttering movements) later than they would with the placenta in the back. Movements can also just feel different. Case in point: I myself had an anterior placenta with my 2020 baby, and for the entire pregnancy, her kicks registered in my brain as hunger pangs, even though I knew it was her!<\/p>\n\n\n\nPlacenta problems<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSometimes the site of the placenta’s implantation<\/a> can be a real problem. If the placenta completely covers the cervical opening, called placenta previa, safe vaginal delivery is impossible due to hemorrhage risk. Healthcare professionals will monitor you for bleeding and scheduled for a C-section delivery, usually at \u201cearly term\u201d (around 37 weeks). If the placenta partially covers the cervix, there\u2019s a little gray area in terms of vaginal vs Cesarean birth. Your healthcare professional will discuss risks and benefits with you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nAdditionally, if the placenta implants too deeply in the uterine wall, such as can occur due to scarring from a previous C-section, women may hemorrhage after vaginal birth. Fortunately, 20 week \u201canatomy scan\u201d ultrasounds can detect if the placenta is embedded too deeply so that a plan can be made for a Cesarean birth. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you’re attempting a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC), you’re at a slightly increased risk of placental abruption<\/a>, detachment of the placenta from the uterus before <\/em>the baby is delivered. Placental abruption is a life-threatening emergency for both mother and baby and requires an immediate C-section.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPreeclampsia<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nA more common placenta-related concern is preeclampsia, which has been tied to placental development issues causing maternal high blood pressure<\/a>. Preeclampsia causes hypertension, liver and kidney damage in the mother and, if it progresses, stroke (at which point it\u2019s known as full-blown eclampsia). It’s a serious condition that usually requires early delivery to resolve.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs we have discovered that the father’s DNA impacts the healthy development of the placenta, men’s lifestyle choices may help decrease the risk of their partners contracting preeclampsia in the first place. Fascinatingly, some research suggests that regular pre-pregnancy exposure to the same man\u2019s semen can help prevent preeclampsia<\/a> during pregnancy with his baby.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nStillbirth<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nA 2024 study at Yale examined 1,256 placentas from previously unexplained stillbirths<\/a> (pregnancy loss after 20 weeks gestation) and determined that the majority of these tragedies were caused by placental defects<\/em> [5]. Read this article<\/a> to learn why Yale researcher Dr. Harvey Kilman encourages all women to ask their doctors to take three specific placental measurements during their routine ultrasounds. It might save your baby’s life!<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe placenta is birthed after the baby<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAfter you deliver your baby, either vaginally or surgically, you will deliver your placenta as well. Once the umbilical cord has delivered the last of the baby’s blood back into his body, it will be clamped<\/a> and cut, and among the various checks and procedures performed on both you and your baby, the doctor will perform a quick examination of the placenta.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nRetained placenta is the primary placenta problem that can occur after birth [6]. If the placenta comes apart during delivery, and some is left inside you, it’s crucial to remove the fragments before they cause life-threatening infection or hemorrhage.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat to do with the placenta<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOnce your placenta is delivered and inspected, you don’t have to consent to the hospital disposing of it as medical waste like I did with mine. In fact, there are reasons you might want to keep it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPlacentophagy or placenta encapsulation<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe practice of consuming the placenta, called “placentophagy,” has been growing in popularity in the West since the 1970s. A 2018 literature review noted, \u201cWe found that there is no scientific evidence of any clinical benefit of placentophagy among humans, and no placental nutrients and hormones are retained in sufficient amounts after placenta encapsulation to be potentially helpful to the mother postpartum\u201d [7]. <\/p>\n\n\n\nStill, some claim consuming your placenta <\/a>can rebuild your depleted nutrient stores and help prevent mood disorders like postpartum depression. Placenta encapsulation services dehydrate your placenta for you for easy ingestion during the postpartum period.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDonation to science<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nPlacentas can also be donated, either for research, or even as donor tissue. The placental membrane<\/a> has documented usefulness in eye surgery, reconstructive surgery, burn treatment, and wound dressing. More on how to donate your placenta is here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nLotus birth<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSome families and cultures choose a “lotus birth”<\/a> (also known as umbilical nonseverance) where the entire cord and placenta are kept attached to the baby until they detach naturally. This is believed to be a gentler transition to life outside the womb, and to respect the baby’s ownership of the placenta. Robust studies have not yet been done to determine the medical risks and benefits of this practice, but there are concerns<\/a> that the dead tissue of the attached placenta could potentially lead to an infection. There are many considerations involved in planning a lotus birth, including preservation and storage options<\/a>, so do your own research if you’re interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCultural practices around placenta disposal<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nOthers, such as the Maori and Cambodian cultures, bury the placenta in the ground. I know a friend who planted a tree over hers in her backyard. Still others use their placenta to make one-of-a-kind art pieces or jewelry.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe bottom line <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis hard-working but transitory organ is a small but mighty nutritional, oxygenation, and waste removal lifeline for a growing baby, and may even have value after the baby’s birth. While things can (and sometimes do) go wrong during placental development, we learn more every year about the impact both mom and dad\u2019s pre-pregnancy health and wellness can have upon these various issues. I now understand why the placenta warranted its own consent paperwork when I had my C-section! <\/p>\n\n\n\nReferences:<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n[1] Herrick EJ, Bordoni B. Embryology, Placenta. [Updated 2023 May 1]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK551634\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[2]Fejzo, M., Rocha, N., Cimino, I. et al.<\/em> GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Nature<\/em> 625, 760\u2013767 (2024). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-023-06921-9<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[3] Balasundaram P, Farhana A. Immunology at the Maternal-Fetal Interface. [Updated 2025 Jan 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK574542\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[4] Gude NM, Roberts CT, Kalionis B, King RG. Growth and function of the normal human placenta. Thromb Res. 2004;114(5-6):397-407. doi: 10.1016\/j.thromres.2004.06.038. PMID: 15507270.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[5] Thompson, B.B., Holzer, P.H. & Kliman, H.J. Placental Pathology Findings in Unexplained Pregnancy Losses. Reprod. Sci.<\/em> 31, 488\u2013504 (2024). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s43032-023-01344-3<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n[6] Perlman NC, Carusi DA. Retained placenta after vaginal delivery: risk factors and management. Int J Womens Health. 2019 Oct 7;11:527-534. doi: 10.2147\/IJWH.S218933. PMID: 31632157; PMCID: PMC6789409.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[7] Farr A, Chervenak FA, McCullough LB, Baergen RN, Gr\u00fcnebaum A. Human placentophagy: a review. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Apr;218(4):401.e1-401.e11. doi: 10.1016\/j.ajog.2017.08.016. Epub 2017 Aug 30. PMID: 28859955.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tout ce que peut faire cet incroyable organe (temporaire !)","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":22665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5185,5352],"tags":[6377,51,5457],"class_list":{"0":"post-22666","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pregnancy-childbirth","8":"category-pregnancy-health","9":"tag-placenta-health","10":"tag-postpartum","11":"tag-pregnancy-health","12":"cs-entry","13":"cs-video-wrap"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is the placenta? - Natural Womanhood<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Did you know the placenta is an organ? 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