Placenta’s toxic link

AUSTRALIAN women have been warned against eating their own placenta because it could be harmful to them and their baby.

There is no evidence to support claims that eating the placenta in any form reduces the risk of postpartum depression, boosts milk supply or that it replenishes vital nutrients, says researcher Bryony McNeill, a lecturer in Reproductive and Developmental Biology at Deakin University.

In fact the placenta may be a source of potentially harmful toxins and bacteria, she warns.

During pregnancy, the placenta regulates the transfer of substances between mother and baby.