Why would you eat this?

There is zero evidence placenta pills do anything, so why are mums turning to this junk science, asks Lanai Scarr.

I considered turning my placenta into capsules.

Approaching the birth of my triplets, I wondered if something that was helping to keep alive three babies at once could have therapeutic benefits not yet known to science.

I considered it for about a millisecond before I quickly realised that there was no scientific backing or research and it would cost me in excess of $200 for the privilege of eating something expelled from my own body.

A lovely friend in my mother’s group had her placenta turned into capsules and I inquired to the benefits. She was sure it helped her to feel energetic after the birth of her son and passed me on the details of “her woman”.

I didn’t call the provider and quite frankly I’m not sure it would have done me any good — because there is no conclusive scientific backing.

I fully am of the opinion that with parenting we need to respect one another’s choices and realise that we all live in a world where we approach things differently.

But last year the US Centre for Disease Control released a report that showed a link between an infant’s ongoing Group B Strep infection and the mother’s consumption of placenta pills.

Placenta pills, which provide zero scientifically proven benefits.

And my story on Sunday revealed that placenta service providers are offering a “mothers essence” product which is placenta steeped in brandy, diluted and then given directly to infants.

The only science around this is that giving a baby alcohol is hugely detrimental to brain development — placenta or no placenta.

Placenta Services Australia say interest in their services has increased by 200 per cent over the past six years.

The claim most use to promote placentophagy is that it helps set the hormones right post birth, prevents post natal depression and boosts milk supply.

Animals eat their own placenta and lick their babies straight after birth so many claim it’s only natural for humans to do the same too.

But animals may eat their placenta and lick their baby’s blood off their heads not for the health benefits but instead to deter other predators from smelling blood and coming for their newborns.

I wasn’t aware wild animals had conducted their own scientific double blind study into placenta benefits but I could be proven wrong.

There’s really nothing magic about eating your own placenta.

And it’s not just placenta services that are on the rise, due in part to many celebrities ingesting the products, but other alternative and complementary services or products like breastfeeding cookies, compression recovery shorts to assist in abdominal separation and even things that purport to stretch the vagina prior to birth to reduce perineum tears are increasing in popularity.

Every family and woman should be respected to make their own choice around these products but I think we need to recognise and know that a lot of them don’t have conclusive science behind them.

Remember — people thought the world was flat for many years, before explorers proved them wrong.

Lanai Scarr is a senior News Corp reporter.

@pollietracker

Originally published as Why would you eat this?