Medical Encyclopedia
Placenta
The placenta grows during pregnancy and stays connected to the wall of the uterus where it provides the fetus with nourishment. The placenta also secretes hormones that help regulate and maintain the pregnancy.
Update Date: 11/8/2006
Updated by: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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