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Negative Trends Eating your own placenta puts the baby at risk
Some women consume the placenta after the birth of their child and expect health benefits. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian have also helped make the eating of the sweet cake a trend. Experts warn that the baby could be endangered.
Eating the nut cake
Hollywood greats like Kim Kardashian have let the public know that after giving birth to their offspring, they have consumed portions of the nut cake. Many non-celebrities are also enthusiastic about the new trend. Finally, the consumption of the placenta is associated with a variety of positive effects. However, experts point out that there is no evidence for the alleged benefits. On the contrary, eating the placenta can endanger the baby's health.
Some women eat parts of the nut cake after giving birth because they expect it to have health benefits. The consumption of the placenta can be dangerous for the baby, warn experts. (Image: Friday / fotolia.com) Health benefits
Many mammals eat their placenta after the birth of the young. So why should this be bad for mothers??
Followers of "placentophagy" assume that the consumption of the sweet cake is associated with a variety of positive effects.
The placenta is usually ground to powder, boiled or freeze-dried and taken in the form of capsules, pills or globules.
The hormones and nutrients it contains are intended to boost milk production, provide a strong immune system and a beautiful complexion, have a preventive effect on postpartum depression, relieve post-pregnancy pain and compensate for existing iron deficiency
In addition, such capsules are used for the treatment of sleep problems, inflammation and scarring, as well as against skin aging and for controlling the hormone balance in menstrual disorders and menopausal symptoms.
Pollutants such as lead and mercury detected
However, a team of scientists from Northwestern University in Chicago (USA) found in an analysis of ten trials on placental esophagitis years ago that there were no benefits from eating the placenta.
As the researchers at the time reported in the journal "Archives often Women's Mental Health" and in a communication, assume the consumption of the nut cake, a potential health risk, as this is by no means sterile.
Finally, the placenta also has the function of protecting the fetus from pollutants. These would be filtered out of the blood and stored in the placenta.
It has already been detected in increased concentrations of pollutants such as cadmium, selenium, lead and mercury.
Also found in the placenta after birth are viruses and bacteria whose effect remains unclear when consumed.
The germs could be passed through the breast milk to the baby.
Infection with B streptococci
How dangerous the consumption of the placenta can be is shown by a case from the USA. There, last September, a woman gave birth to a healthy baby who had severe respiratory problems just days after birth and had to go to intensive care.
According to a statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the infant had blood poisoning. The child had been infected with B streptococci.
The doctors found that the infection was caused by the mother's placenta pills. In it the pathogen had been found.
Effects of psychological effects
Also, according to spokesman for the UK Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Roger Marwood, there is no proven physical benefit to eating the placenta - regardless of whether it is consumed raw, in a smoothie, or in capsule form.
"Yes, it can be full of protein, but there is no evidence that it has any nutritional benefits, so it is unlikely to fend off postnatal depression, help with sleeping, increase breast milk production, or give more energy," he said the expert to the newspaper "Daily Mail".
But the "psychological effects" could possibly make a difference. (Ad)