The placenta provides intrauterine vital activity of the fetus. As the pregnancy develops, the placenta increases in thickness, acquires an increasing number of blood vessels. In a certain period of time, it stops growing, and the aging process begins. In medicine, 3 degrees of placental maturity are determined by weeks, which help to exclude fetal hypoxia or a lack of substances necessary for development.
The role of the placenta in the development of the unborn child
- It provides oxygen to the baby's body and removes carbon dioxide into the mother's bloodstream.
- From it the child draws nutrients and removes the remnants of waste products.
- Plays the role of immune defense.
- It is a filter that prevents the penetration of toxins and antibodies. However, some harmful substances, such as alcohol and nicotine, it is not able to retain.
- The placenta secretes hormones necessary for a he althy pregnancy.
Degrees of maturityplacentas by week
Doctors determine this with an ultrasound.
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The initial degree (0) is determined by the homogeneous structure of the placenta and is the norm until the thirtieth week of pregnancy.
- First degree (1). From the 27th to the 34th week, the placenta begins to grow, its walls begin to thicken.
- Second degree (2) is optimal from 34 to 39 weeks, this is the most stable period that determines the he althy course of pregnancy.
- Third degree (3) is normal after 39 weeks.
For childbirth, the placenta matures, this is accompanied by a decrease in its metabolic sites, s alt deposits appear on the surface.
The degree of maturity of the placenta 32 weeks of pregnancy - the first. The second degree is considered premature. Early maturation of the placenta does not at all indicate possible complications, but to exclude them, the state of blood flow in the uterus and placenta should be checked.
Premature maturation of the placenta
This process may be accompanied by some phenomena.
- Preeclampsia.
- Various intrauterine infections.
- Bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Pregnancy with twins.
- Hormonal disorders.
Deviations from the norm and their causes
Deviation from the norm of the degree of maturity of the placenta by weeks can be detected by a doctor using ultrasound, after which complex treatment is prescribed withthe use of drugs to stimulate the functions of the placenta. It is recommended to conduct Doppler at 33 weeks. The degree of maturity of the placenta is one of the most important indicators of the he alth of the unborn child. Also, the doctor may prescribe a CTG during this period and a second ultrasound in a month.
Delayed aging of the placenta is rare and may indicate fetal malformations. However, other factors can also influence this: smoking during pregnancy, incompatibility of Rh factors, diabetes in the mother.
Don't panic
However, do not forget that the doctor's assessment of the degree of maturity of the placenta by weeks is subjective and may vary depending on the doctor and the ultrasound equipment he works with. No need to panic at the first ambiguous results, it is best to get checked by several doctors.
