The idea of eating your placenta may not appeal to everyone, but there are those who swear that eating the placenta has several health benefits. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Hilary Duff and actress January Jones have all publicly discussed consuming theirs after birth - but is there actually any evidence of the health benefits of eating your placenta, and is it even safe?
If you are interested in eating your own placenta or simply want to learn more about eating placenta, we're here to share important information gathered from experts, including the purpose of the placenta, whether you can eat it safely, if there are any potential benefits in doing so, and the ways to go about it.
What is the placenta?
There can be some confusion as to what the placenta is. Cleveland Clinic describes the placenta as "a temporary organ that forms in your uterus during pregnancy". After conception, the placenta is the first thing that is formed, and it attaches to the lining of your womb in your uterus called the "uterine wall". During your pregnancy the placenta connects you to your baby, keeping your blood supply separate from theirs while delivering oxygen, nutrients and hormones to the foetus through the umbilical cord.
The placenta also helps take away any waste that the baby makes while in the womb for your body to dispose of, and the NHS explains that towards the end of your pregnancy, the placenta passes antibodies from you to your baby. This gives them immunity for about 3 months after birth.
The placenta grows alongside the child during pregnancy, but after birth your body rejects it, as it is no longer needed. The placenta will be pushed out vaginally in the same way as a baby, so essentially, you'll "give birth" to the placenta after you give birth to your baby. If you have a C-section the surgeon will simply remove it after they have taken out your baby.
Can you eat your placenta?
Yes, it is possible to eat your placenta. In fact, this is a growing trend amongst mums due to the potential benefits. Throughout history, many cultures have eaten the human placenta (placentophagy), indeed, eating the afterbirth is common in the animal kingdom, so it makes sense to assume that there might be some nutritional value or health benefits. Before you make your decision to do the same, however, it's important to know about any risks.
Is it safe to eat your placenta?
When it comes to determining whether or not it is safe to eat your placenta, professionals seem to have mixed opinions. Alyssa Larish, M.D. says; "Eating the placenta after giving birth, called placentophagy, can be harmful for you and your baby. The placenta is a complex organ that supports the growing fetus during pregnancy. The placenta provides nutrients and oxygen and filters waste through the umbilical cord." Whereas Carly Lewis from The Placenta Remedies Network says, "We have evidence from the Jena University study completed in 2018 that the placenta is perfectly safe for the mother to consume, but the baby should never consume the placenta."
If you do decide you'd like to eat your placenta it's important to prepare it so that it's safe to consume, although, there are no set rules for this. Alyssa describes a common way to prepare the placenta for eating is to put it inside a capsule that you can take like a pill. She says this is done by steaming and dehydrating the placenta or by processing the raw placenta. On the other hand, people have been known to eat the placenta cooked, or even raw, adding it to smoothies or liquid extracts.
Alyssa states that you should be aware that the methods described above may not destroy all the infectious bacteria and viruses that might be in the placenta, but that unfortunately, for those wanting to consume their placenta after childbirth, there is no standardized, safe way to prepare the placenta for eating.
Are there benefits to eating placenta?
There are different beliefs when it comes to the nutritional and health benefits of eating your placenta, from the prevention of postpartum depression to promoting a healthy hormone balance for improved mood, energy and milk supply, as well as providing nutrients for new mums like iron. Due to all supposed nutritional benefits, some mums even decide to opt for a lotus birth, where the placenta remains attached to their baby until it naturally falls away.
When we spoke to Fiona Ford a few years ago, dietitian for the British Dietetic Association, she said; "There is no scientific evidence at all for any of the supposed benefits of eating placenta, whether whole or in capsule form." At the time, Fiona went on to explain; "The placenta is full of vitamins, but there’s no guarantee that – even though they’re in large amounts – they’re going to the right place and doing the right job."
The NIH also states: "There is no scientific research regarding the beneficial effects of human placentophagia, and available information is mostly hearsay.
How should I eat my placenta?
If you are still keen to eat your placenta in any form, it's a good idea to find a Placenta Specialist who can help you transform your placenta into something you can consume in the safest way possible to avoid your placenta being contaminated with any bacteria or viruses. You can find your local qualified and certified Placenta Specialist on the Placenta Remedies Network website, offering placenta encapsulation services along with smoothies and other placenta remedies.
If you like the sound of enlisting the help of a placenta specialist, let the hospital know you’d like to keep your placenta, so they don’t dispose of it after you give birth. It’s also a good idea to make a note of it on your birth plan. Some hospitals policies' might differ or prevent you from taking your placenta.
If you have any complications with your placenta such as placental abruption or placenta praevia then this will obviously affect your ability to consume the afterbirth. If you have any concerns you can discuss this with your doctor.
Watch this interesting video we found all about the placenta and how some mum's felt after eating theirs.
Ways to eat your placenta
Still tempted to eat your placenta, but not sure how to go about it? There are a few options...
Placenta encapsulation
Encapsulation is the new trend in placental cuisine, especially since Mad Men star January Jones announced she popped placenta pills after the birth of her baby. A specialist can do this for you – they take your placenta after birth and cook, dehydrate and grind it into powder, before encasing it in a vegetable-based capsule.
Placenta gummies
Similar to encapsulation, you can also have your placenta made into gummies by a specialist. Callie Landis, Founder of the Lancaster Placenta Company shares with The Guardian that she’s most proud of her placenta gummy bears, saying “They’re pink and glittery,” and “That encompasses womanhood through and through.”
Cooked placenta
Another way of consuming your own placenta, and perhaps a less expensive method, is to cook it yourself at home. If you’re preparing your placenta yourself, first you’ll need to clean it by draining all the blood, rinsing it until it’s pink, and then cut away the umbilical cord and membranes. You can hire someone to do this for you if you're squeamish or are not really sure what you're doing.
The downside of eating cooked placenta is that, like any other meat product, it will eventually spoil, so you’ll have to eat it within a few days. Once it’s prepared, it’s no different from something you’d get at the butcher's, so go ahead and roast, steam, sautée or flambée – wherever the culinary winds take you. Add herbs or garlic for taste if you want. Just don’t turn it into a spag bol and serve it without telling anyone.
Placenta smoothie
We can't promise you'll enjoy the taste of your placenta in a smoothie, but if you've ever tried to disguise the taste of greens, you'll know that smoothies can do wonders! Many women blend a piece of placenta up with mixed fruits and juices. You can use any smoothie recipe you like, but there are also specialist services that will do this for you, for a safer experience and more peace of mind.
FAQ Eating your placenta
Which culture eats the placenta?
Here are a few examples of some cultures that have traditionally practiced placentophagy, or eating the placenta:
China - In traditional Chinese medicine, dried placenta, called ziheche, is used to treat conditions like infertility, wasting diseases, and impotence. Chinese people also believe that nursing mothers should drink a broth made from boiled placenta to improve their milk
Vietnam - In the 1960s, some Vietnamese nurses and midwives of Chinese and Thai background ate the placentas of their patients.
Chicano - A study by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas found that some Chicano midwives in San Antonio, Texas, have reported cooking and eating part of the placenta.
Is eating your placenta vegan?
Comsuming one's own placenta would be considered acceptable by most vegans, according to standard vegan ethical standards at least, due to the fact that it is a natural part of the body that is expelling during childbirth. Therefore, it doesn't involve harming any animals.
Why do celebrities eat their placenta?
Celebrities who have eaten their own placentas have claimed to believe it helps with postpartum recovery or that it has other health benefits, but there is no scientific evidence to support these claims.
**Celebrities who have eaten their own placentas include:**Kim Kardashian West
Hilary Duff
Alicia Silverstone
Chrissy Teigen
January Jones
Christina Anstead
Can I ask to keep my placenta in the UK?
Some women choose to take their placentas home for consumption for personal, spiritual or cultural reasons. You should tell your midwife before the birth if you would like to keep your placenta so the midwife knows to handle the placenta with sterile gloves and to quickly put into your cooler.
It's also a good idea to have this as part of your birthing plan so that you can be informed ahead of time whether the hospital has their own policies against patients keeping their own placentas. Keep in mind that in some unforseen circumstances it may not be possible to preserve the placenta.
What do hospitals do with placenta?
The hospital is not legally allowed to use your placenta for any purpose beyond pathology without your consent. If you don't have a plan for your placenta, the hospital will dispose of your placenta as medical waste after birth.
The NHS says they will advise parents to have genetic testing of the placenta, but that if you do not wish to allow them to use your placenta and cord for education, research or to have pathological or genetic testing done, they will dispose of them by incineration.
Proud aunt to her teen niece, Zara Mohammed is a Digital Writer for Mother&Baby. She has 10 years freelance writing experience creating lifestyle content for various platforms, including pregnancy, women’s health, parenting, child development and child mental health, plus lots of fun seasonal family articles and celebrity news.