PORTLAND, OREGON — U.S. health authorities said people shouldn’t eat placenta as they may put their babies’ health at risk with infections.
The placenta is a fetal organ that provides oxygen and nutrients to babies and removes waste products from the baby’s blood.
Some people believe consuming the placenta have physical benefits as the organ is full of blood and hormones. One way of consumption is by drying the placentas and grinding them into powder before making them into capsules.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report last month about a Oregon mother whose baby was diagnosed with bacterial infection with Group B Streptococcus. The means of transmission was not clear but the mother said she had started taking placenta capsules three days after giving birth.
Group B Streptococcus infection, which could cause lung, brain, blood, bones and joints infections in newborn babies.
Placenta-eating has been promoted for years, even though there were no medical findings to support the so-called benefits. Still, people believe in this magical diet and even invented recipes for this organ such as placenta lasagna and placenta roast.
