The placenta provides the intrauterine life of the fetus. As pregnancy develops, the placenta increases in thickness, overgrows with an increasing number of vessels. At a certain period of time, it stops growing, and the aging process begins. In medicine, 3 degrees of placental maturity are determined by week, 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 remains of waste products.
- It 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 delay.
- The placenta secretes hormones necessary for a healthy pregnancy.
Placental maturity by week
Doctors determine this using ultrasound.
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). Starting from the 27th and 34th week, the placenta begins to grow, its walls begin to thicken.
The second degree (2) is optimal from 34 to 39 weeks, this is the most stable period that determines the healthy course of pregnancy.
Third degree (3) is the norm after the 39th week.
By birth, the placenta matures, this is accompanied by a decrease in its exchange sites, salt deposits appear on the surface.
The placental maturity level of 32 weeks of gestation is the first. The second degree is considered premature. Early maturation of the placenta does not at all indicate possible complications, but to eliminate 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.
- Gestosis.
- Various intrauterine infections.
- Spotting in the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Pregnancy twins.
- Hormonal disorders.
Deviations from the norm and their causes
A deviation from the norm of the degree of maturity of the placenta by weeks can be detected by a doctor using ultrasound, after which a complex treatment is prescribed with the use of drugs to stimulate the functions of the placenta. Dopplerometry recommended at 33 weeks. The degree of maturity of the placenta is one of the most important indicators of the health of the unborn child. Also, the doctor may prescribe a CTG during this period and repeated ultrasound in a month.
Later, placental aging is rare and may indicate fetal malformations. However, other factors can also affect this: smoking during pregnancy, Rh factor incompatibility, and diabetes in the mother.
No 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 with which he works. There is no need to panic at the first mixed results, it is best to go through a checkup with several doctors.