Question

The blood of a fetus and the mother never mix, yet harmful substances from the mother can end up causing harm to the baby. Explain how this is possible.

Answer 1

the fetus is connected to the placenta and umbilical cord inside of the mother’s uterus. when the mother consumes harmful substances, they can reach the fetus’s own bloodstream after it travels through the umbilical cord.

Answer 2

The mother's blood does not normally mix with the baby's blood during the pregnancy unless there has been a procedure (such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling) or vaginal bleeding. These antibodies will then bind with the baby's Rh-positive red blood cells, causing them to be destroyed.

Step-by-step explanation: