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

Abstract

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.

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

“…The form of placentophagy most often practiced is "encapsulation," a process where the placenta is dehydrated, crushed, and packed into capsules [13,20]. This is consistent with [8,15] in their study results.…”

Blood Biomarker Profile Alterations in Newborn Canines: Effect of the Mother′s Weight

“…A high neurologic morbidity increases the risk of neonatal mortality [ 14 ]. The birthing process is the most critical phase for newborns [ 15 ] because the transition from fetus to neonate involves physiological, biochemical, and anatomical changes accompanied by flows of hormones that trigger the respiratory function, vascular changes, and the activation of energy metabolism [ 16 , 17 ]; additionally, the maternal behavior is critical for the parturition to take place in favorable conditions for the newborn puppy [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Studies of dogs have reported that a certain level of transitory asphyxiation occurs during delivery.…”

Handling and Physiological Aspects of the Dual-Purpose Water Buffalo Production System in the Mexican Humid Tropics

“…It usually lasts 4–5 h after the expulsion of the calf [ 31 ]. During this stage, the intensity of the uterine contractions diminishes, lessening the dam’s physical exertions and paving the way for the shedding of the chorionic villosities from the maternal crypts [ 30 , 32 ], Finally, placentophagia occurs, an observed behavior that consists of the consumption of placental components by the buffalo [ 37 ].…”