How does the embryo get nourishment inside the mother’s body?

i) Once the sperm has fertilised the egg, the zygote that forms is embedded in the lining of the uterus. This lining thickens considerably and is richly supplied with blood from which the growing embryo gets the nutrition needed for its growth and development.


ii) The embryo gets its nourishment from the mother’s blood via the tissue known as the placenta.


iii) The placenta is a disc shaped tissue which is embedded in the uterine walls.


iv) This disc contains villi on the side facing the embryo and blood spaces on the mother’s side that surround the villi. Due to this arrangement of the villi and the blood spaces, the surface area is increased for the transfer of glucose and oxygen from the mother to the embryo.


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