When is Placenta Encapsulation Contraindicated?

“My care provider told me that I can’t consume my placenta.” A phrase I hear all too often. The reality is, placenta encapsulation and consumption isn’t standard practice and it never will be – so care providers are confused by it, and often want to discourage you from consuming your placenta.

I’d be a terrible placenta encapsulation specialist if I told you placenta consumption was for everyone and that there are absolutely no contraindications. I’d also be a liar, and that’s one thing I’m not! I’d like to note one thing: it is illegal in all 50 states to prevent a parent from bringing home their placenta. Now onto contraindications…

The entire placenta has been transferred to a pathology lab.

Sometimes, care providers would like to send the placenta to a pathology lab for further testing and study. Some reasons why this may happen include suspected substance abuse, suspected maternal or neonatal infection, neonatal neurological concerns, and placenta abnormalities among others. If your care provider informs you they would like to take your placenta to pathology, ask them to take a small piece of the placenta instead of the entire thing. It is illegal in all 50 states to deny a patient their right to take their placenta home.

There are signs of infection present during labor and childbirth.

Chorioamnionitis is an inflammation of the fetal membranes of the placenta, associated with a bacterial infection. This infection is usually categorized by high maternal temperature during labor (100.4 or higher), or infant fever at birth. If there is foul smelling discharge or foul smelling amniotic fluid present during labor and/or childbirth, this is another good reason to suspect infection. No one wants to consume infected placenta capsules!

Placenta has been handled improperly.

If you plan on doing placenta encapsulation, there are specific ways in which the placenta needs to be handled after birth. We treat the placenta like a meat (sorry if that ruins steak for you!), so we need to be mindful of how long we leave it out for. Placentas should be placed on ice or in the refrigerator within 4 hours of birth. It is safe in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It needs to be frozen if the encapsulation process does not begin with 5 days, and it can be frozen for up to 6 months. If a placenta ends up being frozen, it needs to thaw in the refrigerator – maximum thaw time is 72 hours.

The placenta has been exposed to heavy toxins.

The placenta is a barrier, and filters some things in and out, both to and from the baby. However, if a birthing parent is consistently exposed to drugs, tobacco, and/or alcohol during pregnancy, it is safe to assume the placenta is dense with the toxins that come from these 3 things. In this case, placenta encapsulation and consumption would be contraindicated.

These are the most common reasons why placenta encapsulation would be contraindicated. Having GBS (Group Beta Strep) or Gestational Diabetes, are not contraindications for placenta encapsulation. If you’d like to learn more about placenta encapsulation, feel free to contact me! Take advantage of January’s special: 20% of placenta encapsulation package!