Claims that eating placentas offers multiple health benefits are unsupported by science and may be detrimental to overall health, a popular article claims.
The article was published in the June edition of Medical News Today and was based upon a study published in Archives of Women’s Health.
The study quoted was a review of 10 published research papers on placentophagy, or the practice of new mothers eating their placentas after childbirth.
Placentas are eaten raw, cooked or in capsule form. Some advocates assert the practice can prevent postpartum depression, relieve pain, aid in lactation and enhance bonding between mother and child.
Most non-human mammals eat their placentas.
Researchers said that within some human studies the results were inconclusive on placentophagy on uterine contraction, the estrogen cycle and lactation, but animal studies showed a potential for pain reduction. No studies have been done on humans.
