Weallthinkweknowthestoryofpregnancy.Spermmeetsegg,followedbyninemonthsofnurturing,nesting,andquietincubation.Butthisstoryisn’tthenurseryrhymewethinkitis.Inaway,it’sastruggle,almostlikeatinywar.Andrightonthefrontlinesofthatbattleisanothermajorplayeronthestageofpregnancythatnotasinglepersonontheplanetwouldbeherewithout.Anentirelyneworgan:theplacenta.

Inthisepisodewetakeyouonajourneythroughthe270-daylifeofthisweird,squishy,gelatinousorb,anddiscoverthatitissomuchmorethananorgan.It’saforeigninvader.Apieceofmeat.Afriendandparent.Andit’sperhapsthemostessentialpieceinthesurvivalofourkind.

ThisepisodewasreportedbyHeatherRadkeandBeccaBressler,andproducedbyBeccaBresslerandPatWalters,withhelpfromMattKieltyandMariaPazGutierrez.AdditionalreportingbyMollyWebster.

SpecialthankstoDianaBianchi,JuliaKatz,SamBehjati,CeliaBardwell-Jones, MathildeCohen, HannahIngraham,PipLipkin,andMollyFassler.

 

SupportRadiolabbybecomingamembertodayatRadiolab.org/donate.  

 

Forcoolnewresearchontheplacenta:

CheckoutHarvey’slatest paper publishedwithJuliaKatz.

SamBehjati'slatest paper ontheplacentaasa"geneticdumpingground".