The popular belief is that placentophagy – or eating the placenta – carries with it a range of benefits for a new mum, from preventing post-natal depression to boosting energy levels. However, experts at Northwestern University are this week claiming that there is no scientific proof that consuming placenta carries any health benefits.
Furthermore, the experts claim that mums could actually be harming themselves, as the risks of placentophagy have not been established in any health journals.
As part of their study, the scientists carried out reviews into 10 research studies on placentophagy. Their findings show that they were unable to uncover any evidence supporting so-called health benefits; they found nothing to suggest it prevents depression, reduces post-delivery pain, boosts energy, or replenishes the iron supply in the body.
What most concerned the researchers, however, was how little has been discovered or determined about the dangers of eating placenta.
Study author Dr Crystal Clark said: “People aren’t making this decision based on science or talking with physicians. Some women are making this based on media reports, blogs and websites.”
Elsewhere, lead author Cynthia Cole expressed her particular concern for nursing mothers who consume their placenta: “Our sense is that women choosing placentophagy, who may otherwise be very careful about what they are putting into their bodies during pregnancy and nursing, are willing to ingest something without evidence of its benefits and, more importantly, of its potential risks to themselves and their nursing infants.”
