Can human placenta be eaten?

Many elderly people believe that human placenta can be used as traditional Chinese medicine, because it contains a lot of nutrients and trace elements. Some people also believe that human placenta can be eaten. This statement has caused many people to question it. The placenta helps the fetus digest, breathe and excrete in the human body, and it is also the main organ for the fetus to obtain nutrition. So can human placenta be eaten?

First, can human placenta be eaten? In fact, the placenta can be eaten, but it is still recommended not to try it lightly. Some placentas may contain very serious health problems, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and the possibility of other diseases, some of which cannot be detected at present. Therefore, it is best not to eat the placenta.

Second, the placenta is an organ that grows from the embryonic membrane and the maternal endometrium during human pregnancy and exchanges substances between mother and child. The fetus develops in the uterus and obtains nutrients from the mother through the placenta. The baby grows and develops in the mother's womb, and the eating, drinking, defecation and urination needed are all transmitted through the placenta, while both sides maintain a considerable degree of independence. The placenta also synthesizes a variety of hormones, enzymes, cytokines, etc. to maintain normal pregnancy. The placenta is also a traditional Chinese medicine, called placenta. Modern Western medicine believes that the placenta is just a piece of protein. Although it has certain nutritional value and can be used as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, it is not the legendary tonic comparable to ginseng. The placenta is indeed rich in nutrients such as protein, sugar, calcium, and vitamins, but the most basic nutrients such as protein, sugar, calcium, and vitamins can be obtained from our daily diet, and the placenta has no advantage in this regard. Although it is rich in immunoglobulins, this immunoglobulin cannot be directly absorbed and utilized after entering the human digestive tract. It will be gradually decomposed by the digestive juice and finally converted into amino acids, completely losing its original anti-disease immune effect.

Third, it remains to be determined how beneficial eating the placenta is to the human body, but if you accidentally eat a placenta that carries an infectious disease, the harm will definitely be great. Although hospitals will not allow sick mothers to take away their placentas and will dispose of them as medical waste, there is no guarantee that problematic placentas will not enter the market. Some placentas may carry viruses such as measles, hepatitis B, AIDS, syphilis, etc. due to maternal illness. In particular, the placenta of mothers with blood-borne infectious diseases (such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, AIDS) will contain corresponding pathogens. This type of placenta can cause foodborne illness when consumed.

Can human placenta be eaten? Even for healthy expectant mothers, except for cesarean section, the placenta must be delivered through the birth canal, and it will definitely be contaminated by a variety of bacteria. If it is eaten fresh, there are potential dangers to varying degrees. If it is not strictly disinfected, it will also spread some infectious diseases. Therefore, from a safety perspective, it is recommended not to eat it.