What does the placenta receive from the fetus?

The placenta serves a critical role in fetal development by facilitating the exchange of substances between the mother and the fetus. It receives carbon dioxide and waste products from the fetus, which are then transferred to the mother's circulation for elimination. This process is essential because the fetus has its own metabolic activities that produce waste, and the placenta acts as a conduit, ensuring that those byproducts do not accumulate and harm fetal health.

The placenta also has the important task of providing the fetus with oxygen and nutrients derived from the mother's blood, but it does not receive these from the fetus itself. Instead, the fetus sends waste products back through the placenta to the mother. Additionally, while hormones are produced by the placenta to aid in pregnancy maintenance, those hormones are not received from the fetus but rather originate from the placenta itself or the mother.

Thus, the accurate function of the placenta in receiving carbon dioxide and waste products from the fetus is highlighted in the chosen answer.