The placenta might not be the prettiest of organs but its role during pregnancy is incredibly important.
It is also believed to have numerous benefits after you give birth, with many mothers consuming it.
But while those benefits are debatable, here are 5 interesting facts about the placenta…
1. The placenta is responsible for secreting the hormones - including hCG and estrogen - that help your baby grow and prepare for motherhood. In other words, you can blame it for laughing uncontrollably one moment and bawling the next.
2. As well as secreting hormones and providing oxygen, this organ makes sure that the nutrition in your blood stream gets passed to your baby’s blood stream.
3. The placenta is created from both the mother and father. When an egg is fertilised by the sperm, the cells multiply and become a blastocyst. This then develops into the placenta and the baby. We don't know about you but we think this is rather lovely!
4. It is the only organ that disposes of itself. It develops with the baby and is designed to be discarded following the birth. This process can take between five and 20 minutes to happen after childbirth.
5. The size varies from mother to mother but it is said that the combined length of all of the capillaries in the placenta is 32 miles. It can also grow up to nine inches wide and weigh up to three pounds. So, it's a pretty big deal.
Mind blown.
via GIPHY
For more information, check out our sources: Belly Belly; What To Expect; and The Stir. 
