A baby in the womb has its own unique blood, separate from the mother's.
This is because the baby develops its own circulatory system, complete with its own heart, blood vessels, and blood cells. The placenta, which connects the baby to the mother's uterus, acts as a barrier between the two bloodstreams.
Here's how it works:
- Oxygen and nutrients from the mother's blood pass through the placenta to the baby's blood.
- Waste products from the baby's blood pass through the placenta to the mother's blood, where they are filtered out by her body.
While the baby's blood and the mother's blood are kept separate, they do exchange substances through the placenta. This allows the baby to receive the nourishment it needs to grow and develop.
However, the baby's blood does not contain the exact same genetic material as the mother's blood. The baby's blood carries its own unique DNA, inherited from both the mother and father.
The only exception to this is in the case of twins who share a placenta. In this case, the twins will have shared blood because their circulatory systems are connected.
