What is the name of the temporary organ that connects the mother and the fetus?

The correct answer is the placenta, which serves as a crucial temporary organ during pregnancy that facilitates the exchange of nutrients, gases, and waste between the mother and the developing fetus. The placenta develops in the uterus and is uniquely structured to allow these exchanges while also acting as a barrier to protect the fetus from certain toxins and pathogens.

It produces hormones that are essential for maintaining pregnancy and supports the fetus’s development. The vascular connections formed between the mother’s blood supply and that of the fetus through the placenta are vital for sustaining fetal life.

While the umbilical cord is an important structure, it serves primarily as the conduit for blood vessels connecting the fetus to the placenta. The amniotic sac encloses the amniotic fluid that cushions the fetus but does not directly connect the mother and fetus. The chorion is part of the fetal membranes that contribute to the formation of the placenta but is not itself the connecting organ. Thus, the placenta is the definitive organ that fulfills the role specified in the question.