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Eating baby's placenta after birth does not protect mother from depression - Study says

Claims that the placenta contains vitamins which could benefit a woman's health have increased interest in the practice in recent years.

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No ladies, eating a baby's placenta after childbirth does not protect women against depression and boost energy.

This is according to a United States research.

But a review by Northwestern University found no proven benefits and no research on the potential risks with the Royal College of Midwives saying it should be the woman's choice.

Researchers said the popularity of eating placentas had risen in the last few years but this may have been due to women being influenced by media reports, blogs and websites.

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According to BBC, placentophagy, known as the act of eating placentas, has been said to reduce pain after delivery, increase energy levels, help with breastmilk production and enhance bonding between mother and child.

But the research team said this was based on subjective reports rather than scientific research, adding that there were no studies which looked at the risks of eating the placenta

Placentas act as a filter to absorb and protect the developing foetus from toxins and pollutants, thus the scientists said bacteria or viruses could remain within the placenta tissues after birth, making it a potentially unhealthy practise.

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