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Why Is the Uterus a Good Home for the Baby?

A woman's body is complex and able to serve a variety of purposes throughout the course of her lifetime. The uterus, responsible for carrying a baby through the stages of development until it is ready to be born, is one of the most complicated, yet natural wonders of a woman's body and is designed to protect, nourish and nurture at once.

  1. Protective Qualities

    • One reason that the uterus is an excellent home for a developing fetus is the protective qualities that it provides. The uterus protects the baby from being exposed to toxins contained outside the womb and shelters the growing baby from excess noise and light. In addition, the uterus is designed to stretch to accommodate the rapidly expanding size of the baby as it grows.

    Nourishment

    • In addition to providing a developing baby shelter within the womb, a woman's uterus serves as a life source to provide the growing baby with what it needs for proper development. The placenta, which is within the confines of the uterus, is responsible for passing along the vital nutrients and the oxygen that infants require for proper growth. Without the uterus, there would be no way for the placenta to nourish the growing baby and provide these essential building blocks for life.

    Body Temperature

    • The uterus also serves as an incubator in that it helps ensure that the growing baby maintains the correct body temperature throughout the duration of its development. During the course of fetal growth, the growing baby must maintain a consistent body temperature and is unable to do so on its own. The thickness of the womb is designed to regulate the growing baby's internal temperature to ensure that it does not drop below the average body temperature of its mother.

    Pathway to Life

    • The uterus is the first organ to receive a signal from the woman's brain that it is time for the process of childbirth to occur. After receiving a surge of hormones to signal that it is time for the birth process to begin, the uterus begins to contract, forcing the baby through the opening of the cervix and through the birth canal. Without the benefit of the uterus, there would be no contractions which are necessary for birth to progress.

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