Your placenta is an incredible organ that nourished your baby during her time in utero.
Thats the thinking behind placenta encapsulation the trend of turning the placenta into pills and consuming them postpartum.
But theres little science behind placenta encapsulation, and it has some serious risks.
Heres what you should know if youre thinking about giving it a try.
What is placenta encapsulation?
Placenta encapsulation is a process where a whole placenta is transformed into pills that can be taken postpartum.
Its one of a fewdifferent ways to eat the placenta, but its by far the most popular.
In fact, 70 to 80 percent of moms who eat their placentas opt for encapsulation.
Is placenta encapsulation safe?
It might not seem like there are any real downsides to placenta encapsulation at first.
(If youre breastfeeding, an infection you catch could be passed on to your baby.)
The placentais loaded with vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and iron.
Its also rich in reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone that drop after you give birth.
The problem is that theres not much science to support these claims.
And theres zero evidence supporting the notion that placenta encapsulation can prevent ortreat postpartum depression.
So why do so many new moms seem to feel better after eating pills made from their placenta?
It all comes down to the placebo effect, experts say.
If you expect to feel good after eating your placenta, youll probably feel that way.
Is placenta encapsulation the same thing as eating the placenta?
Placenta encapsulation is one way to eat the placenta.
It is also sometimes consumed raw, cooked, roasted, dehydrated or even distilled into a tincture.
Currently, theres no evidence that one method of eating the placenta is any more beneficial than the others.
How is placenta encapsulation done?
Some moms opt to find instructions online and go the DIY route.
What are the risks or potential downsides?
They arent sterile, and placenta encapsulation doesnt kill harmful pathogens.
And if shes breastfeeding, that infection could get passed on to her baby.
Decreased milk supply
Some fans of placenta encapsulation say that placenta pills can boost milk supply.
Thats because the placenta contains the pregnancy hormone progesterone, which inhibits the production of the milk-producing hormone prolactin.
Blood clots
Women have a higher chance ofdeveloping harmful blood clotsin the early weeks after giving birth.
How much does placenta encapsulation cost?
Should you try placenta encapsulation?
The CDC says that placenta encapsulation should be avoided.
Consuming placenta pills has the potential to pose serious health risks to you and your baby.
Plus, the science shows that there arent any measurable benefits.
(Most will, but you’ll likely have to sign some paperwork.)
Placenta encapsulation might be trendy.
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