Dr. Mana Parast provides an introduction to placental development, the organ that every mammalian embryo needs for proper growth and development. The placenta derives from trophoblasts, embryonic cells located in the outermost layer of the embryo. Pre-eclampsia and other maternal factors can hinder placental development and therefore affect the development of the fetus. A better understanding on how defects associated with pregnancy disorders affect placental development could lead to novel therapeutics in the future.