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. 2018 Sep;78(9):846-852.
doi: 10.1055/a-0674-6275. Epub 2018 Sep 14.

Placenta - Worth Trying? Human Maternal Placentophagia: Possible Benefit and Potential Risks

Sophia K Johnson  1 , Jana Pastuschek  1 , Jürgen Rödel  2 , Udo R Markert  1 , Tanja Groten  1
Affiliations

Placenta - Worth Trying? Human Maternal Placentophagia: Possible Benefit and Potential Risks

Sophia K Johnson et al. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 2018 Sep.

Erratum in

Abstract
in English, German

The use of placenta preparations as an individual puerperal remedy can be traced back to historical, traditional practices in Western and Asian medicine. To evaluate the ingestion of processed placenta as a puerperal remedy, the potential risks (trace elements, microorganisms) and possible benefit (hormones in the placental tissue) of such a practice are discussed in this article based on a literature review.

Die Einnahme der eigenen Plazenta durch die Mutter als individuelles Heilmittel im Wochenbett ist zurückzuführen auf historische, traditionelle Anwendungen in abendländischer und asiatischer komplementärer Medizin. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit wurden mittels Literaturrecherche sowohl die möglichen Risiken (Spurenelemente, Mikroorganismen) als auch möglicher Nutzen (Hormone im Plazentagewebe) erfasst, um die Einnahme der verarbeiteten Plazenta als Heilmittel im Wochenbett zu bewerten.

Keywords: parturition; placenta; placentophagy; postpartum; puerperium.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest/Interessenkonflikt The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest./ Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Options for placenta processing and ingestion and potential risk and possible benefits of placentophagy.
Abb. 1
Abb. 1
Möglichkeiten der Plazentaverarbeitung und -einnahme sowie mögliche Risiken und potenzieller Nutzen von Plazentophagie.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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