Placentophagy , or eating the placenta after childbirth, has become fashionable and is generating curiosity and debate. Some people claim it provides energy, improves mood, or helps with milk production, while others warn of potential complications. The key question is whether it is truly safe and beneficial for both the mother and the baby.
The truth is that the available scientific evidence does not support clear benefits for humans, and there are warnings about risks, especially from infections and contaminants. Even so, the practice has become popular, partly due to personal testimonials and media coverage. Let's review what it is, how it's consumed, what science says, and what dangers have been documented.
What is placentophagy and why is there so much talk about it?
Placentophagy is the term that describes the ingestion of the placenta after birth. In the animal world, most mammals eat it instinctively. In humans, it has not been an established custom , although there are isolated accounts and traditional medicinal uses of the dried placenta in some cultures.
In recent years, the topic has gained traction due to media coverage and the examples of public figures who have shared their experiences, hoping to improve their mood, energy levels, or postpartum bleeding. This increased visibility has boosted interest in and demand for encapsulation services.
There has also been an increase in online content and websites related to encapsulation services. However, healthcare professionals warn that trendiness does not equate to safety or efficacy.
The placenta during pregnancy: a unique organ
The placenta is a temporary organ that forms early in pregnancy and acts as a bridge between mother and baby. It provides oxygen and nutrients , while also helping to eliminate waste products from the fetus through the umbilical cord.
In addition, it produces hormones essential for sustaining pregnancy, such as human chorionic gonadotropin, estrogen, and progesterone. Due to its barrier and filtering function, it can accumulate undesirable substances that should not reach the fetus.
Why do some mothers decide to eat it?
Among the most frequently cited reasons are iron replenishment , improved energy and mood, reduced risk of postpartum depression, and support for breastfeeding . These ideas are based on the fact that the placenta contains iron, vitamins, minerals, and hormones.
Traditional Chinese medicine is also invoked , where dried human placenta (known as Zi he che) has been an ingredient in some preparations for treating anemia or certain disorders. There is no documented tradition of administering it specifically to the mother postpartum.
Despite these arguments, there is no solid evidence in humans to confirm these benefits . Personal testimonials, while respectable, do not replace well-designed studies with control and placebo groups.
How to consume: common methods and critical points
Reported forms of consumption include raw (in pieces or in smoothies), cooked like meat, encapsulated after dehydration and pulverization, and even infusions or extracts . None of these are standardized preparations or certified as safe for eliminating pathogens.
Encapsulation typically involves steaming and dehydration , or processing the raw placenta before grinding and encapsulating it. These processes do not guarantee the complete elimination of bacteria or viruses , nor of any environmental toxins that may be present.
Public health authorities have issued explicit warnings regarding the ingestion of placenta capsules, following cases with consequences for newborns. The risk of cross-contamination and improper handling is real if strict safety standards are not met, and these standards are not uniformly established.
What does the scientific evidence say?
Animal studies have described potential effects such as improved maternal behavior, increased pain threshold, and easier bonding. However, these findings cannot be directly extrapolated to humans , and the animal model does not accurately replicate the human postpartum period.
In humans , high-quality studies are scarce. In randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trials, no significant improvements were observed in maternal iron status or hormone levels, mood, attachment, or fatigue when encapsulated placenta was compared to a placebo (e.g., meat capsules).
Surveys of women who consumed their placenta have reported subjective feelings of benefit (improved mood, energy, recovery), but these studies have methodological limitations : they lack a comparison group, rely on self-reporting, and do not control for the placebo effect. They do not allow for establishing causality.
Beyond efficacy, safety is a central concern . Health authorities have documented cases where maternal use was associated with infections in newborns, reinforcing the need for caution.
Potential and documented risks
The placenta is not sterile tissue . Bacteria and viruses have been identified in placentas after delivery, and handling during processing can facilitate contamination. If the mother ingests pathogens and breastfeeds, she could expose the baby.
There is a documented case in which a newborn developed a group B streptococcal infection after the mother ingested contaminated placenta capsules. US health authorities issued a warning against consuming the capsules for this reason.
In addition to bacteria, the placenta can accumulate heavy metals and other environmental pollutants, such as cadmium, lead, or mercury. The consequences of ingesting these elements are not well established in the context of placentophagy, but their presence is a cause for concern.
Benzopyrene (a carcinogenic compound) has been detected in the placentas of smokers , while it was not detected in non-smokers. This suggests that smoking could further increase the risks if the placenta is consumed.
Another important aspect is the potential hormonal effect . The placenta is a major source of estrogen during pregnancy, and estrogen administration in the immediate postpartum period is contraindicated due to the risk of thromboembolism . Although this is an unconfirmed hypothesis for placentophagy, it deserves consideration given the safety implications.
Regarding the preparations (raw, cooked, dehydrated, in smoothies or extracts), none offers an absolute guarantee of pathogen elimination. There is no standard, safe protocol validated by the scientific community.
Breastfeeding and placentophagy
Regarding breastfeeding, there are no robust scientific studies that support the claim that eating the placenta improves milk production or quality. There is no medical justification linking placentophagy to breastfeeding benefits.
Conversely, if there is bacterial or viral contamination of the ingested placenta, the breastfeeding mother could expose the baby to infections. The safety of both mother and baby must be the primary consideration in decision-making.
History, culture and parallels with other mammals
Most mammals, including great apes, do consume the placenta . Hypotheses to explain this include concealing traces of birth to avoid predators, nutritional recovery, or behavioral effects. In humans, however, there is little historical evidence that it was a common practice after childbirth.
Some cultures revere the placenta with non-food rituals, such as burying it in sacred places (for example, among native Hawaiian communities). There are also isolated accounts of medicinal use of both human and animal placenta by third parties (midwives, healers).
In traditional Chinese medicine, dried human placenta has been used in herbal combinations to treat certain conditions. However, this does not equate to recommending its consumption by the mother , nor does it demonstrate any efficacy in postpartum recovery.
Popularity, media and practice data
In some countries, placentophagy has increased in popularity over the last decade, with more videos, websites, and encapsulation services. Celebrity endorsements have influenced public perception and sparked curiosity among many families.
Practice estimates have been published for specific contexts and periods, along with surveys that gather motivations and experiences. While popularity may grow, social acceptance does not replace scientific validation or safety guarantees.
Real health uses of placental tissues and alternatives
Beyond consumption, the placenta and its membranes have had controlled biomedical applications, such as the use of amniotic membrane in dermatological or ophthalmological procedures, under strict protocols for obtaining and preserving it. In cosmetics, the use of components such as hyaluronic acid and collagen has been explored in regulated environments.
In Spain, the National Transplant Organization , together with the autonomous communities, developed a National Umbilical Cord Blood Plan to organize the collection and storage of units in public banks for transplantation. These pathways are regulated and geared towards evidence-based therapeutic purposes.
After childbirth, it's common to experience discomfort and have questions (for example, tailbone pain), for which there are evidence-based recommendations and support resources . Some centers offer information and educational materials, and there are even official stores with postpartum solutions and reference guides such as the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy." Consulting reliable sources and healthcare professionals is the wisest course of action.
Some health organizations provide downloadable materials with information about postpartum care. If you'd like more information, you can review resources like this informative PDF . Reliable health education is key to making informed decisions.
What professionals recommend
The majority opinion among obstetricians, midwives, and health communicators is clear: there is no evidence of proven clinical benefits in humans, and there are potential risks . Authorities such as the CDC have issued specific warnings regarding the ingestion of placenta capsules due to the danger of pathogens.
If you're looking to improve your postpartum recovery, talk to your healthcare team about science-backed alternatives for mood, energy, breastfeeding, and iron (when appropriate). Avoiding unnecessary exposure to bacteria, viruses, or toxins is part of a safe postpartum period for you and your baby.
The safety of the mother-baby dyad must take precedence, and given the lack of evidence of benefits and the documented risks, the best recommendation is not to consume the placenta and to resort to validated interventions with professional guidance.
Placentophagy, despite its media popularity, lacks scientific support in humans and carries avoidable risks . The placenta can accumulate pathogens and contaminants, there is no standardized method for its safe preparation, and infections in newborns have been reported in connection with its consumption. To ensure your recovery and your baby's, rely on reliable healthcare advice and science-backed measures.