Placenta - Structure and Functions - Unsolved Practice Set
Chapter: Human Reproduction | Topic: Placenta Structure and Functions
PLACENTA - STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Topic: Placenta Structure and Functions
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. The placenta is formed by the interdigitation of finger-like projections from the embryo called:
- Trophoblast (chorionic) villi
- Endometrial villi
- Amniotic villi
- Yolk sac villi
Q2. Which hormone, detected by early home pregnancy tests, is secreted by the developing placenta?
- LH
- hCG
- FSH
- Oxytocin
Q3. The placenta connects the developing foetus to the uterine wall of the mother through the:
- Fallopian tube
- Umbilical cord
- Cervix
- Vagina
Q4. Besides nutrition and respiration, the placenta also functions as an endocrine gland by producing hormones such as:
- Insulin and glucagon
- Estrogen, progesterone, and hPL
- Thyroxine and calcitonin
- Adrenaline and cortisol
Q5. Exchange of substances between maternal and foetal blood at the placenta occurs:
- Through direct mixing of maternal and foetal blood
- Through blood spaces, without the two bloods normally mixing
- Only through the amniotic fluid
- Through the cervix
Short Answer Questions
Q6. What is the placenta, and which two structures does it primarily connect?
Q7. Name any three functions performed by the placenta during pregnancy.
Q8. Why is the placenta also described as a "temporary endocrine gland"?
Q9. What is the umbilical cord, and what is its role in connecting the foetus to the placenta?
Long Answer Questions
Q10. Describe the structure of the placenta, explaining how chorionic villi and maternal blood spaces allow exchange of substances between mother and foetus.
Q11. Explain how the placenta performs the combined roles of a lung, kidney, and endocrine gland for the developing foetus.
APPLICATION / ANALYSIS
Q12. A pregnant woman is advised by her doctor to avoid alcohol and certain medications during pregnancy. Using your understanding of placental exchange, explain why substances consumed by the mother can directly affect the developing foetus.
Q13. A home pregnancy test kit works by detecting a specific hormone in a woman's urine. Explain the biological basis of this test, referring to which structure secretes this hormone and why its levels rise rapidly after implantation.