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".