How Do Animals Separate the Cord from the Fetus?

[DaveC426913]

1] Is the placenta and cord an extension of the fetus or of the host? We were talking about this, and have tentatively concluded that the DNA of placenta and cord would reflect the fetus rather than the host.

This came up in a discussion about 'two vessel cord'. I was wondering if that would be an anomaly of the mother's or of the baby's genes.


2] How do animals deal with the separation of the cord from the fetus? I know the mother will break the cxord and consume the products of labour, but that doesn't directly cauterize or clot the baby. In (modern) humans we must cauterize the cord or it will bleed out, since newborns do not have a clotting factor. Do animals have a more "proactive" clotting rate?

 

[Monique]

1] it is of the fetus. It is an anomaly of both the fetus and the mother, since diabetes can significantly increase the risk.

 

[DocToxyn]

Depending on which species you are discussing it can be primarily fetal or about 50% fetal/50% maternal. If you do a google search for "placental structure" and related terms you'll find more info. Here were a few I found, http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/reprod/placenta/structure.html" (human only).

 

[iansmith]

2] How do animals deal with the separation of the cord from the fetus? I know the mother will break the cxord and consume the products of labour, but that doesn't directly cauterize or clot the baby. In (modern) humans we must cauterize the cord or it will bleed out, since newborns do not have a clotting factor. Do animals have a more "proactive" clotting rate?

The umbilical cord is usually chewed by the mother after she cleaned the newborn. By that time, the umbilical cord does not function anymore and blood will not come out. Human seems to be the exception.