Placental

Development
( for undergraduates)

Sona P.S.
Assistant Professor,
Govt. College of Nursing ,
Trivandrum

Placental Development

3 weeks after fertilisation -Small projections appear

on the trophoblastic layer of the blastocyst ,
proliferate to form chorionic villi

Abundant in decidua basalis called chorionic

frontosum & develops into placenta

The villi under decidua capsularis are less abundant

and atrophy to form chorionic leave which later form
chorion

Placental Development

Chorionic villi erode the walls of maternal

blood vessels and opens up to form a pool of
maternal blood(sinuses)

Few villi attach deeply into decidua(anchoring

villi)

Placental circulation establishes by 17th day

Placenta completely develops and functions

by 10th week after gestation

Placenta Structure

Cotyledon of Placenta

Each villus and its branches form

the cotyledon

15-30 lobes(average 20)

Mature Placenta
Discoid shape

Average weight 500 gm (200 800

gm)
1/6 of babys weight at term
Average diameter 20 cm and
thickness 2.5 cm
Maternal and fetal surfaces
Maternal surface rough and granular

Functions of placenta

Respiration

Nutrition

Storage stores vitamins, iron and glucose

Excretion CO2, bilirubin from RBC, urea and uric acid

Protection barrier function, transfer antibodies,

shock absorber for the fetus

Endocrine-hCG, progesterone, HPL

Mechanism of Transfer

Diffusion water, oxygen, CO2, urea and simple

amines

Active transport transfer of Iron and ascorbic acid

from mother

Phagocytosis by chorionic villi- immunoglobulins

THANK YOU