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What Are the Pros and Cons of Eating Placenta?
A small number of women choose to participate in the controversial practice of consuming their placentas after giving birth. Some women believe that placental consumption is beneficial because of all the nutrients it contains, and women who eat it might think that they are replenishing some of the nutrients they lost during childbirth. Other alleged benefits of eating placenta include better breast milk production and a decrease in the likelihood of developing postpartum depression. There are many people who are opposed to eating placenta because they believe that it is very unappetizing and could technically be considered a form of cannibalism. Many people also think that there is no reason to eat placenta and that the supposed health benefits do not actually exist.
It is true that the placenta contains estrogen and progesterone, and it might be possible for the presence of these hormones in a woman's body after childbirth to help some with postpartum depression because of how wildly hormone levels tend to fluctuate just after giving birth. Eating placenta is a common practice within some cultures, but women rarely do it in Western civilization. It also is a fact that most mammals eat their placentas, and women who choose to eat theirs tend to use this along with the fact that women in other cultures eat placenta as arguments to defend their choice.
The majority of women do not bother with eating placenta because they believe it would taste bad, either cooked or raw, and because they don't see any benefit in doing so. Another school of thought is that eating placenta is actually cannibalism because it is a part of the human body. People who are in favor of consuming the placenta counter the cannibalism accusation by arguing that eating it does not actually harm anyone because it is a part of the body that is no longer needed.
There have been very few studies done on the benefits of placental consumption, and the research as of 2011 does not indicate that eating it would be especially beneficial for a woman who has just given birth. The general consensus by the scientific community was that consuming this part of the afterbirth is actually neither harmful nor particularly helpful. A woman who is considering this practice after she gives birth should make her choice based on the advice of her doctor and her personal feelings on the subject.
AS FEATURED ON:
AS FEATURED ON:
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![Some women believe that eating the placenta provides nutrients lost during pregnancy.]()
By: Tyler OlsonSome women believe that eating the placenta provides nutrients lost during pregnancy. -
![Eating one's placenta may decrease the likelihood of developing postpartum depression.]()
By: Vanessa van RensburgEating one's placenta may decrease the likelihood of developing postpartum depression. -
![The placenta develops inside of the uterus during pregnancy.]()
By: ProMotionThe placenta develops inside of the uterus during pregnancy. -
![Placenta is considered part of the afterbirth of delivering a baby.]()
By: arztsamuiPlacenta is considered part of the afterbirth of delivering a baby. -
![New mothers who choose to consume their placenta may have it in either raw, cooked or encapsulated form.]()
By: Klaus EppeleNew mothers who choose to consume their placenta may have it in either raw, cooked or encapsulated form. -
![The entirety of the placenta must be removed from the uterus following the birth of a child.]()
By: WONG SZE FEIThe entirety of the placenta must be removed from the uterus following the birth of a child. -
![The placenta is an organ attached to the uterine wall that provides nutrients to the fetus through the mother's blood supply.]()
By: HalfpointThe placenta is an organ attached to the uterine wall that provides nutrients to the fetus through the mother's blood supply.
Discussion Comments
@donasmrs-- What you experienced could be a placebo effect too. I have not seen any scientific studies showing that eating a placenta is beneficial.
I saw my placenta after giving birth and it was far from appetizing. I'd rather take vitamin and mineral supplements. But to each his own.
I had my placenta made into supplements with my last child and I did take them. I know that many women would not want to do this but I had severe depression after my first and second child. I also could not breastfeed them for very long. So when I got pregnant with the third, I decided to give placenta a chance.
The capsules had no taste whatsoever and they really worked for me. I did not have depression with my third child and I actually breastfed her for longer than a year.
So I think that eating the placenta should be an option for mothers who have postpartum issues. No one has to eat it raw or cooked, like a food. I think it should be taken as a capsule supplement.
I personally think that eating placenta after birth would be harmful because of the hormones it contains.
I think that we as a society are starting to undermine how well functioning and how intelligent the human body is. Postpartum depression and deficiencies did not occur recently. It has been occurring to women since centuries. Our body has the ability to recover and re-balance itself alone, with the help of a healthy diet, plenty of water and by staying away from stress. New mothers do not need to eat their own placenta to recover from childbirth. It's unnecessary and I'm sure that the excess hormones will cause negative side effects.
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