Placenta - Worth Trying? Human Maternal Placentophagia: Possible Benefit and Potential Risks

Online scientific research on placentophagy: a bibliometric analysis

Objective

To classify the bibliometric indicators of online scientific research on placentophagy.

Methods

A bibliometric study was conducted to quantify the scientific production of authors and institutions with the aim of highlighting the growth and impact of these publications nationally and internationally. The Bradford Law, network maps, and textual statistics were used, with searches conducted in libraries and databases in October 2021.

Results

The sample consisted of 64 articles, whose primary authors were associated with 49 institutions, and mostly with degrees in anthropology. The United States of America was the country that published the most papers on the theme, and most studies were reviews with individual production. Through the term analysis, it was found that the predominant themes regarding placentophagy were the following: Alternative therapy for women's health, methodologies used for research in this area, period of placenta ingestion (postpartum period), and its benefits.

Conclusion

The bibliometric indicators found are essential for the development of future research.

The Disposal of Placenta among Indigenous Groups Globally: An Integrative Literature Review

Introduction

The placenta, or afterbirth, plays a vital role in supplying nutrients and oxygen via the umbilical cord. Western medicine sees the placenta as a medical waste and discards it after delivery. Meanwhile, indigenous groups observe rituals or ceremonies prior to their disposal since it bears sacred importance.

Aim

The aim of the literature review is to review the current literature on indigenous methods of disposing placenta.

Methods

Through the EBSCOhost search engine, the authors had access to the following databases: CINAHL; MEDLINE; E-Journals; Health Sources: Nursing/Academic Edition; Scopus; and African Journals Online. A manual search of the grey literature through Google Scholar and Google Search engines, as well as citation searching using reference lists, was also used. The following keyword searches came up: placental disposal, placental waste, placental release, indigenous placental disposal, traditional placental disposal, cultural placenta, and placental rituals. The authors followed the inclusion criteria of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed research articles or reports from experts and different organisations published between 2013 and 2022 in English. Findings. The following three themes with subthemes emerged in the context of this review paper: (1) placental consumption (increases milk production, prevents postpartum depression, and prevents postpartum bleeding); (2) placental burial (burial site determines the child's fate, protection of the child, and fertility); and 3). artifacts (memorabilia).

Conclusion

Indigenous placental disposal methods have a significant value to Indigenous women globally. The rituals performed have a special meaning attached to them. It is important for Western medicine to respect and support indigenous placental disposal methods and ensure safe handling from the healthcare facilities to their homes.

Placentophagia and the Tao of POEF

Placentophagia, ingestion of placenta and amniotic fluid, usually during parturition, is a behavioral feature of nearly all nonaquatic, placental mammals, and is a nexus for several interlocking behavioral phenomena. Placentophagia has not been typical of human cultures, but in recent years, some women in affluent societies have engaged in it, thereby bringing publicity to the behavior. First, we summarized benefits of placentophagia for nonhuman mammals, which include increased attractiveness of neonates, enhanced onset of maternal behavior, suppression of pseudopregnancy, and enhancement of opioid hypoalgesia by Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor (POEF), a benefit that may extend well outside the context of parturition. The research on POEF in animals was discussed in detail. Then we discussed placentophagia (placentophagy) in humans, and whether there is validity to the claims of various benefits reported primarily in the pro-placentophagy literature, and, although human afterbirth shows POEF activity, the POEF effect has not yet been tested in humans. Finally, we discussed the general possible implications, for the management of pain and addiction, of isolating and characterizing POEF.

Alternative Birth Plans and Unintended Maternal and Neonatal Consequences: A Review of the Literature

Importance

Birth plans are an important part of childbirth preparation for many women.

Objective

The aim of this review was to discuss some common requests, specifically home birth, water birth, placentophagy, lotus birth, vaccination refusal, and vaginal seeding, including evidence-based recommendations, perceived benefits, and potential maternal and neonatal consequences.

Evidence Acquisition

A literature search for each topic was undertaken using PubMed and Web of Science. For the home birth section, the MeSH terms home AND birth OR childbirth AND outcomes OR complications OR recommendations OR guidelines were used. For the vaccination section, birth OR childbirth OR maternal AND vaccination refusal were searched. For the remainder of the sections, umbilical cord AND nonseverance OR placentophagy OR vaginal seeding OR lotus birth were searched. A total of 523 articles were identified. The abstracts were reviewed by 2 authors (J.R.W. and J.A.R.); 60 of these articles were selected and used for this review.

Results

Home birth is currently not recommended in the United States. Immersion in water for labor is acceptable, but delivery should not occur in water. Placentophagy and lotus birth should be discouraged because of risk of neonatal infection. Vaccines should be administered in accordance with national guidelines. Vaginal seeding should be discouraged until more is known about the practice.

Conclusions and Relevance

These evidence-based recommendations provide clear guidance for physicians so that the birthing experience can be enhanced for both mother and neonate without compromising safety.

Relevance Statement

This is an evidence-based literature review of alternative birth plans and recommendations for directive counseling.

Consumption of Maternal Placenta in Humans and Nonhuman Mammals: Beneficial and Adverse Effects

Placentophagia is a common mammalian behavior, and the first scientific study of the potential effects of human maternal placentophagia on lactation was in 1917. More recently, in the 1970s, human placentophagia was reported in North America with a trend toward increased consumption. There are different hypotheses about the women and nonhuman mammals' motivation towards placentophagia, but few have been subject to hypotheses testing. In women, the controversy continues; on the one hand, researchers attribute benefits like increased breast milk, weight gain in newborns, decreased postpartum depression and fatigue, and improved mothers' mood. In contrast, bacterial or viral infections, hormonal, or trace elements that could become toxic for both the mother and baby are reported as possible health risks. Other reports argue a lack of scientific rigor to support the self-reported benefits of placentophagia. Also, the way the placenta is prepared (raw, cooked, dehydrated, processed, or encapsulated) alters its components, and thus the desired effects. This review provides relevant information and the different hypotheses and points of view around placentophagia. However, there are still questions to be resolved, and more studies are needed to confirm or reject the data generated so far about placentophagia in humans and nonhuman mammals.