If you are a mother-to-be or have just had a baby, you may have heard this new story. That is, about eating your own placenta after giving birth . You may have seen some celebrities on social media claiming that this has many health benefits. So, is this really a good thing? What is the truth behind this? It is very important that we are fully informed before doing this.
First, let's see what this placenta is.
Simply put, the placenta is the lifeline that connects you and your baby while they are growing inside your womb. It is the first organ to form after you conceive, even before your baby's organs have formed. It is the organ that provides your baby with the oxygen, nutrients, and hormones it needs. It also carries waste products from your baby's body back to your body and removes them.
To be precise, this is the only organ that is made in your body and then removed after delivery. It's like a temporary bridge. It's of no use to you after the baby is born. If you have a vaginal delivery, the placenta comes out through the vagina. If you have a C-section, the doctor removes it from the uterus. When the baby is born, it's a flat, round organ that weighs about a pound.
Usually, it is disposed of as medical waste in hospitals. However, some cultures have rituals such as burying the placenta and planting a tree on it. Although this practice of eating placenta (placentophagy) is common among animals, it is only a new trend among humans.
What are the benefits of eating placenta?
Those who support eating placenta say that it has many benefits for you. For example, the placenta contains several hormones, such as oxytocin, estrogen, and progesterone. It is also rich in protein, amino acids, and minerals.
These are the benefits that are obtained because of this:
- Recovering quickly after childbirth.
- Increased body strength.
- Increased breast milk supply.
- Reduction of pain after childbirth .
- Balancing hormone levels and reducing the risk of conditions like postpartum depression and insomnia.
But the biggest problem here is that none of these benefits have been medically proven. Scientific research on this has not confirmed that these benefits are available.
Think about it, some animals (e.g. a mother cat) eat the placenta when they give birth. This may have advantages such as reducing pain when they have the next litter and creating a bond with the litter. But for that animal. We can't imagine that the same thing would happen to a human.
You can easily get the nutrients that are said to come from the placenta through a healthy diet.
| Claimed Benefit | Scientific Evidence |
|---|---|
| Increased energy and faster recovery | It has not been scientifically proven to occur in humans. |
| Increased breast milk supply | There is no clear evidence for this. Frequent breastfeeding and proper nutrition are more important for increasing breast milk supply. |
| Decreased postpartum depression | There is no clinical evidence to prove this. It is essential to seek proper medical treatment for depression. |
| Pain relief | Although there is some effect in animals, there is no evidence of such an effect in humans. |
What are the serious risks of eating placenta?
Although there is no scientific evidence of benefits, there is evidence that eating placenta can harm you and your breastfeeding baby. You should definitely be aware of these risks.
- Infections :During childbirth, the placenta can become contaminated with bacteria and viruses. These can cause serious infections if you ingest them.
- Toxins: One of the main functions of the placenta is to filter out harmful substances in your blood, such as heavy metals like lead and mercury, and other toxins, and protect your baby from them. If you eat the placenta, all of these filtered toxins will enter your body again. These can also pass to your baby through breast milk.
- Unsafe Processing: There are companies that dry, powder, and make placenta capsules. But this process is not regulated by any government agency like the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) in our country. This means that there is no guarantee that these capsules are made in a clean and safe manner. Even the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States has warned against taking these placenta capsules.
- Hormonal effects: The high levels of hormones in the placenta can affect your natural hormonal balance.
There are cases where placenta tissue is used externally as a bandage to heal wounds, burns, and eye problems. But that and eating the placenta are two completely different things.
If you're thinking of doing this...
If you know all these risks and still think you should try this, please be aware of the following:
1. Ask the hospital: Ask the hospital where you are going to deliver your baby in advance if they allow you to take the placenta home. Most hospitals in Sri Lanka do not allow this.
2. Handle safely: Place the placenta in a cooler immediately after delivery. Everyone who handles it should wear gloves. Even if you bring it home, keep it in the refrigerator, separate from other foods.
Take-Home Message
- Placentophagy is a recent fad that has no scientific basis. None of the claimed benefits, such as increased energy or increased milk production , have been scientifically proven.
- Don't think that this is just harmless. There are real health risks, such as bacterial/viral infections and exposure to toxins like heavy metals .
- Since the process of processing placenta into capsules is not regulated by any government agency, there is no guarantee about their safety.
- The best and safest way to get the nutrition you need after giving birth is to eat a balanced, nutritious diet .
- However, if you are considering something like this, do not believe what you see on social media, but definitely talk to your doctor , be clearly informed about the truth and risks, and make an informed decision.
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