Family Feud Questions What countries are associated with eating their own placenta? What do different cultures around the world do with placenta’s?

Placentas Around The World Maddie White

What is a placenta? Nutrient uptake within the fetus, waste removal, and gas exchange with the mother’s blood supply, fight internal infection and produce hormones to support pregnancy. Placentophagy is the act of mammals eating their child’s placenta after parturition.

Cultural Practices Many different cultures across the globe do many different things with the placenta. Most of these cultures have existed for many years with western medicine minimally influencing their beliefs.

Ceremonial Burials Maori (NZ), Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Malaysia These cultures all have different beliefs as to why the placenta needs to be buried.

Birth Control Transylvania and Ukraine These two cultures view the placenta as playing a role in preventing and stopping the possibility of future pregnancies

Other Practices Papua New Guinea natives considers the placenta/umbilical chord to have talisman powers. Samoan’s will massage the blood of the placenta on the baby before they will eventually bury the placenta or throw it into the sea.

Human Placentophagy Historically there have been few recorded instances of cultures consuming their own placenta. Vietnam Midwives and Obstetrical nurses consumed placenta in the 60’s. Ancient Chinese civilizations used a mixture including placental tissue to cure ailments. There is some speculation of different African cultures eating placenta. In Fact, there has been no evidence of human maternal placentophagy as a traditional cultural practice among a sample of 179 societies around the globe

Humans Placentophagy There is a current trend in western countries of eating one’s placenta. This trend has only started recently. The benefits of eating one’s placenta are debatable and have been a source of a lot of research Improved mood, increased energy, improved lactation.

Cultural Vs. Biological There are a lot of different cultural practices revolving around Placentas and after birth. When it comes to animals, there seems to be different practices that are beneficial to the health of the species. Ex: Rats

Biological/Environmental View Different animals ingest the placenta for different reasons Marsupials absorb their placenta Rats, primates, and even insects eat their own placenta Humans are one of the few mammals who do *not* eat their own placenta

Why Placentophagy? Most animals during parturition become very hungry Despite being herbivores or not. The mother is in need of nutrients The mother wants to keep the nest site clean Rats: They ingest their placenta to decrease the mother’s pain threshold

CitationsCitations post-partum-health main.pdf?_tid=07544a88-cfdf-11e4-ad aacb35e&acdnat= _36dc0e6e18919a40448c4a9296c0e29d pdf