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Placentophagia: Benefits of Eating the Placenta

This Age-old Tradition Has Some Surprising Benefits

By Amy Weekley, published Jun 28, 2007
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Placentophagia -- the pratice of eating the placenta -- has been observed throughout history in many parts of the world. In Western cultures, eating the placenta is often viewed as barbaric, but thanks to new information about the surprising benefits, there has been a recent push among young mothers to eat the placenta after giving birth. While many Western doctors discourage placentophagia with the claim that it carries no inherent benefits, studies have shown that eating the placenta can curb postpartum depression, replenish nutrients, increase milk production, and slow postpartum hemmorrhage.

Placentophagia may deter the onset of postpartum depression

The placenta contains high levels of various vitamins, such as B6, which can help curb postpartum depression. Eating the placenta enables the mother to "reclaim" these vitamins and put them to use in her own body. Placentophagia may also increase a mother's blood levels of a hormone known as CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone), a known stress-reducer. This hormone is normally secreted by the hypothalamus. According to a study performed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "During the last trimester of pregnancy, the placenta secretes so much CRH that the levels in the bloodstream increase threefold. However, it was also discovered that postpartum women have lower than average levels of CRH, triggering depressive symptoms. They concluded that the placenta secreted so much CRH that the hypothalamus stopped producing it (http://placentabenefits.info/medicinal.asp)." After childbirth, the hypothalamus doesn't immediately receive the signal to begin producing CRH again, which can lead to postpartum depression. Eating the placenta can raise a mother's CRH levels, reducing symptoms of postpartum depression.

Placentophagia may help replenish nutrients lost during childbirth


Takeaways
  • Placentophagia may help reduce the risk of postpartum depression.
  • Postpartum hemorrhage can be slowed by placentophagia.
  • Eating the placenta can replenish essential nutrients lost during childbirth.
Did You Know?
In instances where placentophagia is not possible, such as lotus birth, the placenta may be used for other purposes, such as placenta art, or the ritual of burial.
Comments
Comments 1 - 15 of 21
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There seems to be a distinct lack of anything remotely appearing to be a scientific source or study link, come on. Elsevier? Sciencedirect? Anything? Until then interesting read but note this, animals eat their placenta to replace neccessary vitamins, this is true, however humans aren't in danger of vitamin loss due to our diet etc.

Posted on 09/10/2008 at 6:09:09 AM

 
What's so horrible !! Have you ever seen the food that you eat ?? and what about your lipstick and all your skincare cream ... all made with placenta !!

Posted on 04/28/2008 at 4:04:08 AM

 
i think its great, at first i was shock but thats really an informative one thank you!

Posted on 01/31/2008 at 6:01:47 PM

 
I was intrigued by other information posted on this web page but after this article I won't be visiting this site anymore. I realize this site must be ran by a bunch of freaks.

Posted on 01/08/2008 at 2:01:15 PM

 
I knew I shouldn't read this article...dreams for a week...well written, though.

Posted on 09/13/2007 at 11:09:00 AM

 
could you give scientific sources? i would like to learn more about it but with the science to back it up

Posted on 09/10/2007 at 11:09:00 AM

 
What a topic! very impressive. i knew that some animals ate the placenta but i had no clue that this was something a human would even consider, much less promote. fascinating!

Posted on 07/20/2007 at 10:07:00 AM

 
I"m happy to report no puking on my end after reading this article. lol You did a good job of reporting this without making us all sick. I'm still a little frightened of the how to prepare placenta article but this one was actually a good read. great job Amy.

Posted on 07/09/2007 at 10:07:00 AM

 
Very interesting~I learned alot from this. Thanks!

Posted on 07/07/2007 at 6:07:00 PM

 
oh. yuck!

Posted on 07/05/2007 at 7:07:00 AM

 
Ewwwwwww. None for me thanks.

Posted on 07/03/2007 at 7:07:00 PM

 
I've had two kids. I've seen placentas. There is no way I could bring myself to eat one, not even with chocolate sauce.

Posted on 07/03/2007 at 12:07:00 PM

 
Those all sound like great reasons. Still, I don't think I could eat my placenta, though the idea of it intrigues me.

Posted on 07/02/2007 at 8:07:00 PM

 
Well, since I already have 6 kids, it won't be happening for me, but if it did, I would have to go the the route Bunting Resources suggested with the drying and placing them in capsules. Great article, though. This could be a step towards curing post-partum depression. :-)

Posted on 07/02/2007 at 11:07:00 AM

 
wow...never even thought of this.

Posted on 07/02/2007 at 10:07:00 AM

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