3.11 Describe the role of the placenta in the nutrition of the developing embryo.

- When the child is in the uterus; which is a water filled environment containing amniotic fluids, the child cannot digest, breath or excrete. To obtain nutrition the embryo has an umbilical cord which grows out of the embryo and leads to the Placenta.

- Note: The placenta grows out of the embryo and not the mother. The blood vessels inside the placenta are the child's blood vessels (arteries and veins)

- Placenta grows into the wall of the uterus.

- The Mother continues to eat during pregnancy which means in her bloodstream there will be the normal Glucose, Amino acids and Fats. This will travel through her blood stream and into the wall of the uterus. From there they will cross into the child's bloodstream and into the child. This crosses at the Placenta. (reason why the Placenta has a large surface area and thin wall).

- Nutrients that the child receives as an embryo comes from the mother. The child also produces molecules which are exchanged back into the mothers blood which includes things like Carbon Dioxide.