Do you require it in a smoothy , encapsulated in a pill or would you like to eat your placenta raw ? This is a question a growing number of mothers are asking themselves . Women who are digging into their placentas for the presuppose health benefits should probably stop , as a new work suggests that these claim are not base on any scientific evidence .
“ There are a peck of subjective reports from women who comprehend benefits , but there has n’t been any taxonomical inquiry investigating the benefits or the risk of placenta ingestion . The studies on mice are n’t translatable into human welfare , ” suppose corresponding study author Dr. Crystal Clark in astatement .
The subject field , print in the journalArchives of Women ’s Mental Health , survey 10 publish papers that looked at the health benefits of placentophagy – the practice of consuming the placenta . Researchers were n’t able-bodied to get any conclusive data to support the claims that eating your placenta could prevent postpartum low , reduce pain sensation or advance energy .
The placenta is what separates a mother ’s stemma supply from her fetus ' and also connect the two . Itplays the importatant roleof furnish the foetus with atomic number 8 and nutrients , and produce the hormones it needs to grow . The placenta is also a agate line of denial between the fetus and any possible infections . As a result , the placenta is not sterile as it ’s exposed to the harmful substances from which it protect the fetus . Bacteria , and elements admit quicksilver and lead , have been incur in post - term placental tissues . Researchers monish that the likely adverse result of these components are unknown and ask further research .
“ There are no regulations as to how the placenta is store and prepare , and the dosing is inconsistent , ” said spark advance author Cynthia Coyle .
“ Women really do n’t know what they are ingesting , ” she added .
Researchers hope that the work will trigger discussions between large parents and their physician , so that they can separate fact from fiction and design their maternity accordingly .
While the vast bulk of non - human placental mammals deplete their placentas , the study report that the “ voguish ” practice was first documented in America during the 1970s . Clark is “ surprised ” at how far-flung placentophagy has now become .
Proponents suggest that there is a long history of placentophagy in traditional Formosan medicine , date back to the 16th century . The study dispute this , however , arguing that while there is historic grounds that Zi He Che – the Taiwanese term for dry human placenta – has been used to treat diseases , there is no clear evidence that charwoman were eat on their own placentas .
“ Our sense is that people are n’t making this conclusion base on scientific discipline or talking with doc . Some women are making this free-base on medium report , blogs and websites , ” Clark say .
Image credit : Placenta oral contraceptive by Dan Ox via Flickr . CC BY - SA 2.0 .
