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Placenta Encapsulation. Here is what we know.

9/14/2018

3 Comments

 

There is an emerging and recently increasing trend of placenta encapsulation and consumption. I want to spend some time speaking to you about this very important health topic. Placenta encapsulation is the practice of consuming the placenta after it has been steamed, dehydrated, and placed into pills. This practice has been touted to produce health benefits. As a Lactation Consultant, I encounter questions about the benefits and safety of this practice. As with many medicines and treatments, more research is needed.  At present, the research has not shown any benefit to consuming the placenta. In fact, there is growing evidence that it can cause harm. In the Lactation Community around the country, we have noticed an alarming trend of lowered milk supply, delayed onset of lactation and subsequent weight loss in the infants and failure to thrive. There are some residual hormones left in the placenta product that is consumed. These hormones may be responsible for inhibiting milk supply. A complete detachment of the placenta after birth is necessary to initiate a full supply of breast milk. Adding these hormones back into the body can be detrimental.  "Taking placenta back in after birth inhibits prolactin from binding and producing milk. Some women’s milk supply may be able to withstand this hormonal suppression, but many don’t. This is like having retained placenta or taking hormonal birth control pills, which can lower milk supply" (8,9,12,13,14,15) 
In addition, there is the possibility of infection. There was a case of an infant developing Group Beta Hemolytic Streptococcus (GBS) due to the mother having ingested her encapsulated placenta. The CDC found the source of the infection was the placenta pills. (Buser, 2017).
The current guidelines in clinical Lactation are to discontinue consuming placenta in the presence of a low milk supply. This is due to the high likelihood that it's consumption is the cause of the decreased or delayed milk. Fortunately, most women develop or regain a full milk supply after cessation of placental ingestion. I feel strongly about this issue.  A thorough education on the topic for expectant and new parents is essential. Until a through body of research on Placenta Encapsulation has been conducted and proven its benefits and safety, the practice should be discouraged.

References:

Davis, E. 2012. Heart and Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy and Birth (5th edition) Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. (pp 199-219)

Sinclair, C. 2004. A Midwife’s Handbook. St.Luis, MO: Saunders. (pp 506-507) 

Neville MC, Morton J, Umemura S. Lactogenesis. The transition from pregnancy to lactation. Pediatric Clin North Am. 2001;48:35-52

Walker, M. (2017). Breastfeeding management for the clinician: Using the evidence (4th edition) Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. (pp 118 - 127)

​Riordin, J.(2005).Breastfeeding and Human Lactation.(3rd edition)Sudbury,MA:Jones and Bartlett(pp 73-77)

ABM Clinical Protocol #13: Contraception During Breastfeeding, Revised 2015. http:/www.bfmed.orgMediaFilesProtocolsContraception%20During%20Breastfeeding.pdf
​
Buser GL, Mató S, Zhang AY, Metcalf BJ, Beall B, Thomas AR. Notes from the Field: Late-Onset Infant Group B Streptococcus Infection Associated with Maternal Consumption of Capsules Containing Dehydrated Placenta — Oregon, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017;66:677–678. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6625a4

3 Comments
Daniel C. Benyshek, PhD link
10/3/2019 02:21:01 pm

Dear Ms Walker,

As a human maternal placentophagy researcher, I am glad to see you recommending an evidence based approach to human placentophagy. As you rightly point out, clinicians such as yourself have very few rigorous medical studies on which base clinical recommendations. In the absence of data demonstrating (maternal and neonatal) safety, the prudent recommendation is a one discouraging the practice. I would suggest that your summary of what we know regarding the safety of human maternal placentophagy (when consuming steamed/dehydrated and encapuslated placenta), however, is incomplete at best. Based on our phase 1, double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled, clinical trial of human maternal placentophagy (N=27), we detected no difference in neonatal weight gain of mothers consuming steamed/dehydrated and encapsulated placenta, versus those taking a placebo during the first three weeks postpartum (J Midwifery Womens Health. 2019 Jul;64(4):443-450. doi: 10.1111/jmwh.12955. Epub 2019 Mar 18). So, no improvement in lactation/neonatal growth (as placentophagy advocates often purport) but no harm either.
In addition, while the CDC single case study (Buser et al.,2017) suggested the source of the GBS infection very well could have been the processed placenta capsules, it is also possible that other family members or fomites in the home were responsible for the GBS infection (as in the case of most other infections in the absence of placentophagy). Our 2018 medical records study of over 20,000 birth records of placentophagic and non-placentophagic mothers (Birth. 2018 Dec;45(4):459-468. doi: 10.1111/birt.12354. Epub 2018 May 2) showed no difference in neonatal health outcomes (neonatal hospitalization, NICU admissions, or neonatal death) in the first 6 weeks postpartum between the two groups. These data too, suggest that maternal placentophagy poses no additional risks to neonates in the early postpartum period.
Our research group certainly agrees that more research is needed on the safety (for mother and baby) and efficacy of human maternal placentophagy, but the current scientific evidence regarding the practice suggests very minimal risk for mother and baby. I would encourage your readers to familiarize themselves with all of the evidence-based research on this topic before making a truly informed decision on the topic and practice.

Reply
Dr Benyshek
10/3/2019 03:09:02 pm

Thank you for your thoughtful and informative comment on my blog post. I am very excited to see that research is ongoing in this area. I welcome discussion and up to date information! I look forward to reading your study on weight gain comparison. This area of research is necessary as well as the safety of this practice in order for IBCLC’s and other healthcare providers to make updates recommendations. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment here and help educate my readers . Best, Cathleen Walker, MA, RNC, IBCLC

Reply
Daniel C. Benyshek, PhD
10/3/2019 03:41:40 pm

Thank you for providing a valuable, information-based forum for these important issues.

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    Cathleen Walker
    ​Breastfeeding Advocate, RN, IBCLC

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  • Home
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