bullet1 Placenta Photos & Diagrams

Links:  Birth Education on Placenta photos


This link below, shows the rich red oxygenated blood going to the baby's brain.  The embyro/fetus circulation by-passes the lungs and goes to the brain with the freshest of oxygenated and nutrient blood supply.

http://medstat.med.utah.edu/WebPath/PLACHTML/PERI179.html

This little boy is at 9 weeks gestational age of embryonic life. Note the thin amnionic cavity surrounding the embryo. Sadly, a large uterine leiomyoma precluded further continuation of this pregnancy.

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A normal Term Placenta, very healthy placenta and umbilical cord:

http://medstat.med.utah.edu/WebPath/PLACHTML/PLAC031.html

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Another healthy view of a normal placenta

The maternal surface of a normal term placenta is seen here. Note that the cotyledons  that form the placenta are reddish brown and indistinct.

Glossary:

Cotyledon, Greek cup-shaped hollow

cotyliform, shaped like a cup, with a tube at the base.


http://medstat.med.utah.edu/WebPath/PLACHTML/PLAC032.html

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Normal Three Vessel Placenta:

http://medstat.med.utah.edu/WebPath/PLACHTML/PLAC074.html

Here is a normal three vessel umbilical cord. Note that there are two arteries toward the right and a single vein at the left. Most of the cord consists of a loose mesenchyme with intercellular ground substance (Wharton's jelly).

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Placenta Previa:

http://medstat.med.utah.edu/WebPath/PLACHTML/PLAC038.html


Position of the Placenta:Link to Diagram

http://medstat.med.utah.edu/WebPath/PLACHTML/PLAC102.html

The fertilized ovum normally implants in the uterine fundus. Shown here diagrammatically are several problems with placentation:

    1. Normal placenta.
    2. Placenta previa results from a very low lying placenta or a placenta which cover the os. Obviously, severe hemorrhage can result with cervical dilation and passage of the baby through the birth canal.
    3. Placenta accreta results from a lack of formation of a normal decidual plate. Thus, the chorionic villi extend into myometrium, and the placenta cannot separate normally following delivery. Severe hemorrhage results.
    4. Abruptio placenta results from premature separation of the placenta prior to delivery, with formation of a retroplacental blood clot. The blood supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus is compromised to a greater degree with increasing size of the abruption

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