Is eating your placenta safe?

Why do people eat placenta?

Typically, women eat their placenta after delivery to reap potential benefits, such as a quicker recovery from birth. The practice is called placentophagy and, according to one study, 25 percent of women would be willing to try it. Eating placenta is strongly associated with having a home birth or delivering at a birth center rather than a hospital.

During pregnancy, the placenta provides your baby with oxygen and nutrients. It also produces hormones to help your baby develop, and it passes along antibodies to protect your baby from illness after birth. After birth, women eat placenta in order to supplement their diets with nutrients and hormones that might be helpful for a number of postpartum issues.

Placenta can be eaten cooked or steamed. It can also be dried, powdered and put into capsules – this is called placental encapsulation. And it can be made into tinctures or added to smoothies.

What are the benefits of eating placenta?

Anecdotally, women have reported a number of benefits from eating placenta, and researchers are studying these associations. But so far, the benefits of eating placenta haven't been scientifically proven.

Possible postpartum benefits include:

• Increased energy, which is beneficial in combating postpartum fatigue
• Increased milk supply
• Improvement in mood, lowering the chance of postpartum depression
• Reduction in insomnia
• Prevention of anemia
• Reduction in postpartum bleeding
• Pain reduction
• Enhanced bonding with your newborn
• Boosting of immune system

Placenta supplements are also being studied for non-pregnancy related issues, such as treating sleep disorders, inflammation, and problems with hormone regulation.

We know that the placenta contains protein, fats, minerals, vitamins, and the hormones progesterone and estrogen. Researchers are working to find out how much of these nutrients and hormones are retained in the placenta and whether they're effective in those amounts.

One study, for example, found iron in the placenta, but in amounts that weren't adequate to be useful in supplementation for iron deficiency. Another study found that preparing placenta for safe ingestion reduced hormone concentrations (along with potential bacterial contamination).

Is it safe to eat placenta?

We don't know if eating placenta is safe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against it, but at least one large study suggests that it may be safe.

We do know that it's possible for placenta to become infected with bacteria and viruses – either while raw or during processing. In 2017, a newborn contracted group B strep when her breastfeeding mom took placenta capsules contaminated with the bacteria. As a result, the CDC warns against taking placenta capsules.

Other concerns about the safety of eating placenta focus on what else – besides bacteria and viruses – the placenta may contain. For example, if a woman had preeclampsia, could the stress proteins contained in her placenta be harmful if consumed? Or, since the placenta protects the baby from exposure to harmful substances such as heavy metals, could these be in the placenta and make it unsafe to eat?

On the other hand, a large study of the records of 23,000 births from the Midwives Alliance of North America Statistics Project concluded that the 30 percent of women who ate their placenta had no worse health outcomes – for themselves or their baby – than women who didn't.

Proponents point to the fact that eating placenta is common among other animals and in some cultures.

What to do if you decide to eat your placenta

If you decide you want to eat your placenta despite potential (and largely unknown) risks:

• Make sure it's prepared as safely as possible. You'll need to cook or prepare the placenta in ways to minimize contamination. For example, heating the placenta to 130 degrees F for at least two hours reduces Salmonella bacteria. There are kits for encapsulating placenta, and there are directions online.
• Consider paying a professional. You may want to pay someone trained in placental encapsulation to prepare placenta capsules for you. They will dry, powder, and pack the placenta in capsules for you to take as supplements. There's no good oversight of the industry, though, so make sure you find a reputable practitioner. Ask your birth doula, postpartum doula, midwife, or OBGYN for recommendations. (Not all healthcare providers will be open to the practice, however.)
• Check with the hospital or birth center where you plan to have your baby. If you're giving birth at home, talk with your midwife. Some hospitals won't allow placentophagy, so plan accordingly. Wherever you plan to give birth, make arrangements ahead of time for how your placenta will be handled and given to you.
• Cook or freeze the placenta right away, because it can spoil (similarly to meat).
• If you have any negative effects, stop consuming the placenta immediately and talk with your caregiver.

What to try instead of eating your placenta

It's understandable that women are interested in eating placenta to speed their postpartum recovery and avoid postpartum depression. Keep in mind, though, that there are many proven, safe strategies to stay healthy after birth and reduce the stress of being a new mom. For example, you can:

• Focus on good postpartum nutrition, and eat mood and energy-boosting foods
• Focus on postpartum exercise (once you get your healthcare provider's okay)
• Take vitamins and supplements (like prenatal vitamins) as suggested by your provider
• Take our postpartum depression screening and get help if you need it
• Ask friends, family, and your partner for help and support
• Get as much sleep and rest as you can
• Talk with your healthcare provider about any troubling symptoms or concerns

Read more:

• Diet for a healthy breastfeeding mom
• Postpartum warning signs
• Placenta previa