Maternal Placenta Consumption: A Novel Therapy Used by Postpartum Women

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholarly project was designed to inform obstetric health care providers about maternal postpartum placenta consumption, which is a novel therapy that is growing in popularity among postpartum women. The objectives of this project were to: (1) synthesize existing knowledge on maternal placenta consumption; (2) write a manuscript that summarizes this information and submit it for publication to an academic journal; and (3) disseminate the project via presentation at a professional conference. Maternal placentophagy is the practice of consuming the placenta after birth. A popular method involves steaming, drying, and preparing the placenta into capsules that are then consumed by the new mother. Proponents of this practice claim physical and mental health benefits, including improved mood, prevention of postpartum depression, increased energy, and improved milk supply. However, there is a lack of scientifically rigorous evidence to substantiate many of these reports. Obstetric health care providers should be aware of maternal placentophagy to help women make informed decisions about this novel therapy. To implement this project, a literature search was conducted using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases utilizing the search terms "placentophagy," "placenta consumption," "placenta encapsulation," "placenta ingestion," and "eating placenta." Additional articles were obtained from the works cited in other sources. A manuscript summarizing the results of the literature review was written and submitted to the Journal for Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. Finally a podium presentation was presented at the Utah Valley University's Nursing Research Conference in March 2015 to inform current and future nurses. The results of the literature review indicated that there is limited evidence that maternal placenta consumption may have some benefits, including possible improved mood, decreased fatigue, increased milk supply, and pain relief. However, there are also theoretical risks, including the possibility of a thromboembolism from exogenous estrogen and toxicity from heavy metals accumulated in placental tissue. Additional research is needed to investigate the possible benefits and risks of this novel therapy.