Placenta encapsulation is no longer a strange custom.
In several Western nations, it is becoming more common.
Most of the evidence backing up this rise in popularity is drawn from the subjective accounts of users of placenta pills.
Placenta encapsulation is the process of heating, dehydrating and crushing the placenta before converting the resulting powder into tablets or capsules.
According to study by the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), people have also been known to consume the placenta raw, boiled, in smoothies, or as a liquid extract.
It is believed that this consumption, which often occurs by a mother after childbirth, may have some health benefits, although this is not supported by science.
You should seek the advice of a placenta encapsulation specialist, since there are no rules or regulations governing the practice of placental encapsulation in some parts of the world.
A report by the NICD describes two ways to encapsulate placenta for eating.
The placenta must be encapsulated for each procedure within two days of delivery. The two methods of preparation are the traditional approach and the raw method.
In the raw method the placenta is cleaned once it is taken from the hospital or as soon as the mother delivers it. It is then cut into pieces, dried, ground into a powder, and put into capsules.
In the conventional Chinese method, the placenta is first cooked (steamed), then cut into thin slices, dried, and enclosed in placenta capsules.
According to anecdotal evidence from nursing mothers, there are three main advantages of taking placenta capsules:
Post-partum depression anxiety
Some new mothers develop post-partum depression. This can make caring for their baby a struggle. Post-partum depression can be severe and affect the bonding process between mother and baby.
The hormone oxytocin, which helps the uterus regain its former size and shape after childbirth, stabilises post-partum mood and promotes mother-child attachment. The placenta may contain oxytocin.
In addition, many mothers say that feeding nursing infants placenta extracts eases their discomfort.
Levels of iron replenished
Some new mothers may develop iron deficiency anaemia as a result of blood loss during labour. Consuming placenta capsules may aid in the treatment of this ailment because the placenta is rich in iron.
Warning
According to Mayo Clinic physician Dr Mary Marnarch, “Plentophagy, the practice of eating your placenta after giving birth, can be harmful to both you and your child. There is a worry that dangerous germs may be present in placenta capsules. In one instance, group B Streptococcus agalactiae infection with late onset was found in a newborn.”
The mother of the newborn may have contracted the potentially fatal infection through placenta capsules that had tested positive for the bacterium, Marnarch said.
It is entirely up to you whether you choose to consume your placenta right away after giving delivery. Seek the advice of your doctor before deciding to practise placenta encapsulation so that you can learn whether it's appropriate for you and how to perform it properly.
Additionally, you might want to check to see whether there are any laws or hospital rules that prohibit this practice.
Read the latest issue of IOL Health digital magazine here.