Experts have warned against taking trendy placenta pills, claiming that the spongey organ can contain viruses, bacteria and even heavy metals due to its role of filtering the blood and protecting the growing foetus.
Their warnings came after Vick Hope, wife of DJ Calvin Harris, became the latest star to reveal that she will be ingesting her expelled organ in capsule form.
In wellness circles, there is a belief that eating the organ – whether in the form of freeze dried capsules, cooked and roasted, or blended raw into a smoothie – can replenish a woman’s iron levels after giving birth.
It is also believed to help lessen symptoms of post-natal depression.
However, there is no medical evidence to support these claims, with several doctors criticising the trend, saying it could be at best pointless, or even lead to dangerous infections which could affect mother AND baby.
Dr Philippa Kaye, a GP who specialises in pregnancy and sexual health, said: ‘Not only is there no evidence for the efficacy of consuming your placenta in terms of preventing postnatal depression, boosting energy, decreasing bleeding and more, eating your placenta may actually be harmful.
‘The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has warned against taking placenta capsules as the preparations may not destroy potentially harmful bacteria and viruses in the placenta, such as Group B strep and cause infections in you or your newborn.’
In 2017, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning against the practice after a baby was diagnosed with a strep infection after his mother consumed placenta pills.
Vick Hope, 35, welcomed her first child with husband Calvin Harris on July 20, naming him Micah
Calvin posted a photo of Vick’s placenta, which was dehydrated before being turned into supplements
The proud dad showed off the capsules made from Vick’s placenta
Strep B – which kills one baby a week in the UK and 50,000 people worldwide annually – was transferred to the baby through breast milk when the mother took placental capsules.
In a shocking report the coroner said: ‘That’s the case that still haunts everyone in the industry.’
A 2018 study found that women who were given placebo capsules or placental pills experienced no significant changes in mood, energy levels or the emotional bond with their newborn baby.
One study that evaluated the amount of hormones in the placenta could potentially reach a level of physiological impact if ingested.
However, once the placenta is handled, dehydrated and packaged into a pill, it is unclear if the hormones are biologically present anymore.
Nevada-based researchers also found that eating the placenta after birth offers no benefit to new mothers, highlighting that consuming placenta pills is not a sufficient source of iron.
Dr Sharon Young, lead author of the study said: ‘While the study doesn’t provide firm support for or against the claims about the benefits of placentophagy, it does shed light on this much debated topic.
‘What we have uncovered are interesting areas for future exploration, such as small impacts on hormone levels for women taking placenta capsules, and small improvements in mood and fatigue in the placenta group.’
Micah is Calvin and Vick’s first child
Calvin, 41, shared a candid photograph of his wife laying in the birthing pool moments after the birth
It’s not only Vick Hope who has decided to eat her placenta, which is known as placentophagy.
Kim Kardashian and former Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh have also opened up about eating the organ, which forms during pregnancy and acts as the baby’s lifeline while in the uterus.
Dr Ellie Cannon, a GP specialising in paediatric health, said: ‘No healthcare professional with any integrity would endorse these pills,’ , added.
‘There is no scientific basis for any benefit whatsoever, physical or mental.’
She continued: ‘But also, when high profile people say they can do things like alleviate postpartum depression, it’s dangerous.
‘There’s a real risk that the public will choose to take this unproven, pseudoscientific treatment rather than seek medical help.’
Meanwhile, Dr Ashfaq Khan, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist said there are ‘no scientific studies’ that suggest consuming a placenta boasts any health benefits.
In the UK, mothers are usually permitted to take their placenta home if their intentions are made clear to the midwife before birth.
Former Made in Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh admitted to eating her placenta after the birth of her second child, Aurelia
Routinely, the placenta and umbilical cord are stored by the hospital for 48 hours after birth so in the event that a baby becomes unwell, the organ can be sent for testing – in which case it is no longer safe to eat.
Advice is given on how to look after the placenta at home safely – in a freezer – to reduce the possibility of cross-contamination.
Placenta encapsulation, however, involves grinding the placenta down in its raw state, or after it has been dehydrated, costing around £250.
The capsules are usually favorless and odorless.
In 2015, Kim Kardashian wrote on her website that she had had the placenta of her second child, son Saint, made into capsules to ward off PND.
She said: ‘So, I’m really not this holistic person or someone who would have ever considered eating my placenta,’ admitted Kim on her website KimKardashianWest.com.
‘And when I say “eat my placenta,” I mean that I’m having it freeze-dried and made into a pill form – not actually fry it like a steak and eat it (which some people do, BTW).’
