The placenta is _______.
A) the tube through which a developing baby receives nourishment
B) the technical name for the "belly button"
C) a specialized organ that provides nourishment and filters away waste products from the developing baby
D) the name for the developing organism until it is 8 weeks old

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The placenta is a specialized organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, thermo-regulation, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. It does not serve as a tube for nourishment (that's the umbilical cord's role), it is not the technical name for the "belly button" (that's the navel), nor is it the term for the developing organism (which is called an embryo until 8 weeks, then a fetus).

The Placenta Is _______