Placenta Consumption and Probable Benefit-Damage Profile

Year 2018, Volume: 5 Issue: 3, 458 - 466, 14.10.2018

Neriman Güdücü Neslihan Keser Özcan

https://doi.org/10.17681/hsp.363853

Abstract

Placentophagy is the
consumption of postpartum placenta and its components in the modified (cooked,
dried, or brewed in liquid) or unmodified (unprocessed) form by the mother
herself or any other person. There are intercultural differences in disposing of
the placenta. The procedures used for disposing of placenta in some cultures
are deemed as protective measures for the future health of the mother, while
these procedures are considered as means of healing for or as sources of
various diseases in some other cultures. Some researchers suggest that placenta
is quite rich in terms of various nutrients and hormones including estrogen,
progesterone, lactogen, iron, β-endorphins and oxytocin, and assert that this
richness remains in the placenta after the birth. Therefore, it is thought that
consumption of placenta may be used as a means of restoring the mother’s
nutrients and hormones lost during the birth, which makes the mother regain her
postpartum mood. It is also thought that placenta consumption may support
maternal-infant bonding, strengthen immunity, reduce postpartum pains, relieve
tiredness and anemia, prevent postpartum hemorrhage, increase lactation and
iron level, thicken hair, and heal skin texture. This review aims to draw
attention of health professionals working in prenatal, delivery and postnatal
services to the placenta consumption, by examining the changing rituals of
consumption of placenta from past to present and discussing the possible
benefits-damages of consumption of placenta in the light of up-to-date
information 

Keywords

Placenta, placentophagy (placenta consumption)

Plasenta Tüketimi ve Olası Yarar-Zarar Profili

Abstract

Plasenta tüketimi (placentophagy);
doğum sonrası plasentanın ve bileşenlerinin değiştirilmiş (pişmiş, kurutulmuş,
sıvı içinde demlenmiş) veya değiştirilmemiş (herhangi bir işleme uğramamış)
formda annenin kendisi ya da herhangi biri tarafından yenmesidir. Plasentanın
imhasına dair kültürlerarası farklılıklar bulunmaktadır. Bazı kültürlerde
plasentanın imhası için kullanılan prosedürler, annenin gelecekteki sağlığını
koruyucu önlemler olarak işlev görürken, bazılarında çeşitli hastalıkları
iyileştirme aracı olarak görülmekte, bazılarında ise hastalıkların kaynağı
olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Bazı araştırmacılar plasentanın östrojen,
progesteron, laktojen, demir, β-endorfinler ve oksitosin de dahil olmak üzere
çeşitli hormonlar ve besinler açısından oldukça zengin olduğunu ve bu
zenginliğin  doğumdan sonra da plasentada
kaldığını öne sürmüştür. Böylece plasenta tüketiminin, annenin doğum sırasında kaybettiği
besin maddelerini, hormonlarını tekrar yerine koyması için bir aracı
olabileceği, bu sayede postpartum ruh halinin düzenlenmesinin sağlandığı,
maternal bağlanmayı desteklediği, bağışıklığı güçlendirdiği, ağrıyı azalttığı,
yorgunluğu ve anemiyi önlediği, doğum sonu kanamayı engellediği, laktasyonu ve
demir düzeylerini arttırdığı, saç ve deri dokusunu iyileştirdiği
düşünülmektedir. Bu derlemede plasenta tüketiminin,
geçmişten günümüze kültürden kültüre değişen ritüelleri, ve olası yararları,
zararları güncel bilgiler ışığında tartışılarak, doğum öncesi, doğum ve doğum
sonu hizmetlerinde sorumluluğu olan sağlık çalışanlarının konuya dikkatini
çekmek amaçlanmıştır.

Keywords

Plasenta; plasenta tüketimi; maternal plasenta tüketimi

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