Overview
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.
Review Date 11/21/2022
Updated by: LaQuita Martinez, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Alpharetta, GA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.