Photo credit: © Lisa F. Young | Dreamstime Stock Photos

By Neely Cessac, Teratogen Information Specialist, MotherToBaby

The holidays are full of family, fun, and enjoyment – and the season is wonderful EVERY, SINGLE, DAY, right?! WRONG. Every year many pregnant women (as well as the general public) become so stressed and worried around this time. And rightly so…not only do pregnant moms have regular holiday stress, but they’ll soon become moms! M-O-M-S! Holy cow. An overwhelming concept, to say the least, especially with everyone telling you what you can (or should) do and what you can’t (or shouldn’t) do during pregnancy. As a birth defects information specialist, I’m starting to get a ton of questions surrounding stress from moms-to-be. I can relate…and I’m not even pregnant yet!

I always want everything to be perfect, from clean floors and ceiling fans, to wonderfully wrapped presents and delicious food. Luckily my mom is an expert at all of those things, so I asked my mom how she survived the holidays while she was pregnant with me. Between my teratology expertise (the study of exposures that cause birth defects) and her “mom-ology” expertise (the study of being awesome in general, but especially as a mom), we’ve put together a list of some key questions and answers to help you survive the holidays too!

Survival Q #1: How can I avoid becoming too stressed?

• How you breathe is important! Be sure to take deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, and relax.
• Realize you are not alone. Most pregnant women and women in general are feeling the same way you are. Talk to others; it will help reduce your feelings of stress.
• Take a nap! Escape and take a quick cat nap when you are really stressed and tired.
• Light to moderate non-impact exercise is great too. Try walking, swimming or yoga.

Survival Q #2: How can I avoid becoming too fatigued?

• Don’t be afraid to admit you are too tired to do some things. You cannot (and should not) be super woman during the holidays! Just say “no”.
• Sleep, sleep, sleep! Try to get about eight hours of sleep each night.
• Have that morning cup of coffee or tea. Studies have shown that limited amounts of caffeine, 200-300 mg a day, have not been associated with any known increased risks for baby.

Survival Q #3: How can I avoid drinking alcohol?

• Don’t be tempted to drink alcohol, as alcohol is known to be harmful for baby. Bring your own non-alcoholic beer or wine with you to the party.
• Want something bubbly to drink on New Year’s Eve? Try a delicious non-alcoholic sparkling juice or cider.
• Make sure there is no alcohol in the drinks or desserts that your host/hostess is serving at the party. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Survival Q #4: How can I avoid complications from overeating, such as gas and constipation?

• Eat more often, but eat smaller portions. With a baby on board, you do not have as much room in your tummy as you used to!
• When needed for gas, it is okay to take over-the-counter products such as Gas-X®.
• To avoid constipation, drink lots of fluids and eat foods high in fiber, such as apples and broccoli. If constipation continues to be a problem, use commercial stool softeners as needed.

Survival Q #5: If I become sick, which over-the-counter cold and flu medicines can I take?

• Look for products that contain acetaminophen, while avoiding products that contain ibuprofen or aspirin.
• If you have high blood pressure, try to avoid using products that contain pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, which can slightly narrow the blood vessels and increase blood pressure. Consistent use of decongestants is not recommended during pregnancy for anyone.
• You can use over-the-counter cough medications such as Mucinex® and Robitussin®, without any known increased pregnancy risks.
• And you know what they say about an ounce of prevention…! Get a flu shot!
  • In the United States the flu shot has been given to pregnant women since the 1960s. Studies of thousands of women who have received the flu shot just before or during pregnancy have found no increased risk for birth defects or other problems.
  • The flu vaccine given by injection is recommended for all women planning to become pregnant or who already are pregnant (whether in their first, second, or third trimester) during the flu season.

If you have any questions, don’t forget that you can call, email, or live chat with a MotherToBaby expert. And to make it even less stressful for you, you can now just send us a text with your question! We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for you, Mom – you have enough to worry about! Just text us at 855-999-3525. We are here to help. Happy holidays and may you have a zen-like season! 🙂

Neely Cessac is a Teratogen Information Counselor at the North Texas affiliate of MotherToBaby. She has been with the service for over two years and loves working with pregnant moms!

MotherToBaby is a service of the international Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have questions about alcohol, medications, vaccines, diseases, or other exposures, call MotherToBaby toll-FREE at 866-626-6847 or try out MotherToBaby’s new text counseling service by texting questions to (855) 999-3525. You can also visit MotherToBaby.org to browse a library of fact sheets.

References:
“Less Stress for Healthier Mom, Baby”, www.webmd.com/parenting/features, 11/18/2015.

“Mocktails for Mom, Be Safe: Have an Alcohol-Free Pregnancy”, www.beststart.org, by/par health nexus sante, 2011.

Reprotox Teratogen Database. Agent report on Stress #1989, 10/24/15. Agent report on Sudafed #1170, 5/9/15. https.//reprotox.org/members.

By Dr. Sarah Običan, OBGYN, MotherToBaby

It’s noon. I just ran into my academic office to call back a few patients in between a packed schedule. I just spent my morning seeing 17 patients and gauging by my afternoon schedule, the day was not going to get much easier. I was new at my job as an OBGYN having joined the academic practice where I completed my residency. It was a busy practice, but I loved my job and I loved my patients. As I sat in my chair, I finally felt my feet again and realized they were hurting, but before I could kick off my heels, my cell phone rang. It was my IVF doctor.

By this time, my husband and I had been dealing with infertility for over a year and had decided to have tests done by one of my medical partners. She phoned to give me results of my testing…. As it turns out a hormone, called anti-mullerian, was low. It may have been in part a cause to our inability to conceive naturally. I could not muster a response to her. Instead – silence. A whole minute must have passed, after which all I said to my doctor was “I must be one of the 10%.”

I was not alone.
According to a CDC survey from 2006 – 2010, more than ten percent of couples trying to conceive have infertility. It’s a medical problem that impacts entire families, marriages and your work. The journey is long, time intensive, costly, emotionally heavy with so much joy and pain all wrapped up into a six week treatment cycle. It’s not for the faint of heart.

Since the first IVF conceived child was born in 1978, things have changed. In fact, even in the 3 year period and 11 cycles I went through in my own life things have changed. We are learning so much about new technologies and improving outcomes. We’re able to offer patients better risk assessments and counseling today.

Is IVF safe?
All things considered, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are safe and the studies are proving it. Multiple studies have supported that IVF does not increase your risk of breast cancer or cancer overall. However, pregnancy conceived by ART are at increased risk of multiples, including monochorionic twins (when twins share the same placenta). These types of twins do carry increased risk of birth defects, preterm labor and delivery.
On average, women necessitating these medical interventions tend to be older and may have additional medical issues, all which impact the pregnancy.

For the baby, while we do know any risk of birth defects is low, some studies do show a small increased risk of overall birth defects, specifically heart defects, in IVF-conceived children, including a 2012 Australian study that looked at more than 6000 children conceived by using ART. It’s hard to completely understand if the risk is due to the interventions itself or due to any underlying issues the higher-risk patients being studied carry.

The formation of a baby’s heart is an exceptionally complex biological process. Because of this, it’s not surprising that, of all birth defects, heart defects tend to be most common. Similarly, the infertile population and those who undergo ART have an increased risk of having a baby with a heart defect, specifically defects affecting the ventricular and atrial septum, as well as a complex birth defect called Tetralogy of Fallot. All women with an ART conceived pregnancy should have a detailed ultrasound between 18-22 weeks to evaluate fetal anatomy and a fetal echocardiogram to evaluate for heart defects. Folic acid supplementation is also important.

Drawbacks to the studies
Despite 60,000 infants being born in the U.S. using ART, the vast majority of studies investigating the associated risk with ART have studied a population which conceived and delivered outside of the U.S. Other limitations of the early studies include looking at relatively small numbers of patients. As a doctor, I hope more studies will be conducted examining U.S. pregnancies involving ART since we have such a diverse population. Studying IVF among our differing ethnicities, age and socioeconomic backgrounds will help doctors make even better recommendations to the couples trying exhaustively to start their families.

For now, just breathe…
I did. Chin up, support system intact, I kept forging ahead. With each failed IVF attempt along the way, my heart may have broken a little, but, at least the absolute risk of heart defects in the potential pregnancy remained small. Three years of trying and my son finally arrived. My heart is now full.

Sarah G. Obican, MD, is an OBGYN, Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist at the University of South Florida. She currently serves on MotherToBaby’s Board of Directors. She’s also a councilmember of MotherToBaby’s sister society, the Teratology Society.

MotherToBaby is a service of the international Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have questions about alcohol, medications, vaccines, diseases, or other exposures, call MotherToBaby toll-FREE at 866-626-6847 or try out MotherToBaby’s new text counseling service by texting questions to (855) 999-3525. You can also visit MotherToBaby.org to browse a library of fact sheets.

References:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/infertility.htm

Davies MJ, Moore VM, Willson KJ, Van Essen P, Priest K, Scott H, Haan EA, Chan A. Reproductive technologies and the risk of birth defects. N Engl J Med. 2012 May 10;366(19):1803-13.

Olson CK1, Keppler-Noreuil KM, Romitti PA, Budelier WT, Ryan G, Sparks AE, Van Voorhis BJ.
In vitro fertilization is associated with an increase in major birth defects. Fertil Steril. 2005 Nov;84(5):1308-15.

Hansen M1, Kurinczuk JJ, Milne E, de Klerk N, Bower C. Assisted reproductive technology and birth defects: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update. 2013 Jul-Aug;19(4):330-53.

Kelley-Quon LI, Tseng CH, Janzen C, Shew SB. Congenital malformations associated with assisted reproductive technology: a California statewide analysis. J Pediatr Surg. 2013 Jun;48(6):1218-24.

By Ginger Nichols, Certified Genetic Counselor at MotherToBaby Connecticut

Oprima aquí para el Baby Blog en español 

Twelve years ago I was still blissfully 24 weeks pregnant, unaware that in a couple days I would be admitted to the hospital for two hellishly long weeks of bed rest listening to the constant beeps of the fetal heart rate monitor; feeling alone and terrified for the health of my unborn baby. My son, Lincoln, was delivered at 26 weeks, weighing only one pound. He was in the NICU in preemie diapers that were too big for him, and I was by his side for one week listening to the constant beeps, whirs, and alarms of his monitors. Sounds that will haunt me to the end of time. Lincoln died in my arms a week after he was born, and while I wasn’t exactly aware of it at the time, thus began my post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After grieving, my husband and I agreed to try again. We experienced several miscarriages, which were also heart breaking in similar and yet different ways from the death of Lincoln. Then, I finally had my miracle baby and gave birth to a healthy daughter. The day I brought her home from the hospital I realized

just how high my anxiety was. I wondered how I could manage without the help of the nurses. And I was terrified that she would stop breathing. 10 years later, she is still breathing fine. (I might even admit to the fact that I may still check on her once in a while in the middle of the night. And maybe, just maybe, I am considering the reality that I will still want to check to see if she is breathing even when she is off to college).

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

I know through my work as a prenatal genetic counselor and experiences of friends and family that, unfortunately, I am not alone in facing pregnancy and infant loss. For those of you who have ever experienced a pregnancy loss or the death of a newborn, we are gut wrenchingly sorry.

We know, and research has confirmed, that women who have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss will experience many of the same grief stages that anyone does after the death of a family member. There may be some who don’t understand how a miscarriage can be so upsetting, but, for those of us who have had one, we know that the moment we saw that positive pregnancy test we were already planning maternity leaves, nursery décor, baby’s hair color, and colleges s/he would attend someday.

We can feel numb after a loss, but we can also feel many things, one after the other. Several strong emotions can be felt at once, such as shock and denial, sadness, grief, anger, or helplessness. However, for pregnancy loss there may be other feelings, such as feeling betrayed by our bodies (Why couldn’t I carry a term pregnancy?), to guilt over the possibility that we did something wrong (Was it the toothpaste I used?). And let’s not even talk about how many happy pregnant women you suddenly see everywhere and how the number of diaper and baby commercials seems to have tripled after you’ve lost a baby or newborn!

Women with previous losses are a vulnerable population in their subsequent pregnancies.

There is no real “normal” in grief, and we all respond to stressors in unique ways. Our pregnancy stories vary and we will experience loss and grief in individual ways; however, there are some common themes. Research has shown that women who have had any type of pregnancy loss are at risk for depression, anxiety, excessive worry, stress, sadness, and / or lack of enjoyment in future pregnancies. We may also feel guilty about the times that we do feel happy. We worry about experiencing another loss, and wonder how we would ever survive that emotional pain again.

Depression or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder during pregnancy.

Research shows that women who have experienced pregnancy or perinatal loss can be 4 times more likely to develop symptoms of depression and 7 times more likely to suffer from PTSD than women who have never experienced a pregnancy or perinatal loss. This same research showed that most women with depression or PTSD don’t receive any type of treatment. Depression during pregnancy has been associated with an increased chance for miscarriage, preterm labor, preterm delivery, low birth weight, diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure), cesarean section, and post-partum depression/mood disorders. Similarly, some studies looking at pregnancies in women with PTSD have suggested that there might be an increased chance for ectopic pregnancy (egg implanting in fallopian tube rather than uterus), miscarriage, hyperemesis (extreme morning sickness), high blood pressure, preterm contractions, preterm deliveries, or low birth weight.

For more information, you may also want to read the MotherToBaby fact sheet on depression in pregnancy found athttps://mothertobaby.org/files/Depression.pdf or stress in pregnancy at: https://mothertobaby.org/files/Stress.pdf .

Finding healthy ways to help you feel better is important. Your health care team may be able to refer you to a local therapist who specializes in working with women who have had pregnancy losses. The earlier you seek help, the better you may do. You don’t have to go through this alone. Sometimes medications can be discussed, but often therapists can help teach you coping techniques with breathing exercises, meditation, or baby safe yoga. Each person’s treatment plan should be personally designed after discussion with their health care provider.

Signs and symptoms of depression.

Remember, there is no “one size fits all”. Meaning signs and symptoms of depression can be different among people, and they might change over time. Most people will not have all the symptoms at once. Having a “bad” day or two now and again is normal and is not true depression or anxiety. Women with depression and or anxiety have symptoms that are present most of the time, last for at least 2 weeks or longer and make day to day life hard to enjoy.
1- Feeling overwhelmed.
2- Feeling guilty about not being able to juggle all that life is throwing at you. You feel like someone else could do better than you are doing so far.
3- Feeling lost or not able to understand what is happening or why or how to change it. Scared to talk about it or reach out for help out of fear of judgement or worse.
4- Feeling angry and short tempered or easily irritated. You have less patience than ever before and can’t seem to get into check. You may resent all those around you including your spouse. Rage is a good description of your emotions on a regular basis.
5- Feeling numb or empty.
6- Feeling a level of sadness you have never felt before.
7- Feeling hopeless, helpless, and weak.
8- Changes in sleep (too much or too little).
9- Changes in eating habits (too much or too little).
10- Lack of concentration and focus.
11- Feeling like you are disconnected from everyone and everything.
12- Feeling like you should be feeling better – except you still aren’t feeling right.
13- Feeling like you want to escape and run away from your life.
14- Feeling suicidal or wanting to harm yourself.

Finding brightness in a dark situation and moving toward the light.

I think one important step in recovery is to find a health care provider that you trust for your next pregnancy. My OB team would let me just sit in their office and cry, and never once did they look at their watches and make me feel like I was taking up too much of their time. I also remember that instance when I voiced my concern about being a “Nervous Nellie” since I worried about every little thing. My doctor held my hand and said, “Not so, research has shown us how mothers with pregnancy and newborn losses can develop PTSD, and we understand.” For these compassionate moments, I am thankful. In my line of work, I have found that many OB teams do understand. Some OB groups are likely to allow quick ultrasound peaks for Moms to see the baby’s heartbeat, which might ease some of the anxiety in future pregnancies. MotherToBaby can also help ease stress when it comes to questions about medications, diseases and other exposures during pregnancy.

I hope reading this blog doesn’t trigger heightened anxiety, but, instead, motivates you to build an important mental health support system around

you. Be gentle with yourself, and maybe eat some chocolate. Because when life throws you a curve ball full of grief, a good support system with great listening ears and shoulders to cry on can be a comfort. Life will never be the same, but remember you are not alone and there is hope.

Ginger Nichols is a certified genetic counselor based in Farmington, Connecticut. She currently works for MotherToBaby CT, which is housed at UCONN Health in the division of Human Genetics, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences.

MotherToBaby is a service of the international Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have questions about alcohol, medications, vaccines, diseases, or other exposures, call MotherToBaby toll-FREE at 866-626-6847 or try out MotherToBaby’s new text counseling service by texting questions to (855) 999-3525. You can also visit MotherToBaby.org to browse a library of fact sheets.

References:

Anderson CA, Lieser C. 2015. Prenatal depression: Early intervention. Nurse Pract;40(7):38-46.

Brier N. 2008. Grief following miscarriage: a comprehensive review of the literature. J Womens Health (Larchmt); 17(3):451-64.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Depression Among Women of Reproductive Age: http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Depression/

Chojenta C, et al. 2014. History of pregnancy loss increases the risk of mental health problems in subsequent pregnancies but not in the postpartum. PLoS One;9(4):e95038.

Committee on Obstetric Practice. 2015. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee Opinion no. 630. Screening for perinatal depression. Obstet Gynecol; 125(5):1268-71.

Gold KJ, et al. 2015. Depression and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms After Perinatal Loss in a Population-Based Sample. J Womens Health. [epub ahead of print]

Postpartum Support International: http://www.postpartum.net/

Radford EJ, Hughes M. 2015. Women’s experiences of early miscarriage: implications for nursing care. J Clin Nurs; 24(11-12):1457-65.

By Chris Colón, Certified Genetic Counselor at MotherToBaby Arizona

During pregnancy, many women make changes in their lives in order to have the best chance to have a healthy baby. I know I did during both of my pregnancies. These changes can involve their diet, exercise habits and other lifestyle factors. After birth, new moms may consider adding back some of the things they cut out over the last 9 months, including drinking alcohol. But is adding it back in that simple? During September’s Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness month, I thought I’d examine the topic of alcohol in breastmilk a little more closely for you. It’s a question I get frequently from the women who contact our service. As you probably know, for years, experts have been saying there is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy, but does alcohol affect a breastfeeding baby?

Before you raise your glass of favorite vino, here’s what research says…

Studies have shown that alcohol passes into the breast milk. The concentration of alcohol in the breast milk is close to the concentration of alcohol in the woman’s bloodstream. Alcohol can pass back and forth from the bloodstream into the breast milk. It’s a common myth that pumping and discarding breast milk will remove the alcohol from breast milk. Even if you discard pumped breast milk after drinking, alcohol still remains in your blood for a period of time, depending on how much you had to drink. The only way to get rid of alcohol from your system is to wait for your body to break it down and get rid of it. It takes about 2 to 2.5 hours for each standard drink to clear from breast milk. (A standard serving is considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 4-5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.) For each additional drink, a woman must wait another 2-2.5 hours per drink. Pumping and discarding, drinking water, taking caffeine, or exercising do not help your body get rid of the alcohol faster, because only time can reduce the amount of alcohol in the breast milk.

More misconceptions…

Another common misconception is that drinking during breastfeeding is recommended to help produce more breast milk. It used to be believed that beer raised levels of prolactin, a hormone in the body that plays a role in making breast milk. However, alcohol may actually reduce the amount of milk you produce. It is now known that alcohol lowers the release of another hormone called oxytocin. Lower oxytocin levels can affect the amount of milk that is released from the breast, meaning a baby may get less milk.

Alcohol’s known effect on baby

Many people wonder if alcohol affects a growing baby. Effects on infants from alcohol in breast milk are not well studied. There are some reports that babies whose mothers drink alcohol while breastfeeding may eat less and/or experience changes in their sleeping patterns. One study suggested problems with motor development following exposure to alcohol in breast milk, but other studies did not show the same results. There are many factors that can play a role in how alcohol can possibly affect a developing baby. Differences in genetics and metabolism of alcohol by both the mother and the baby may result in a wide range of risk. The risk may be different even in different babies from the same mother. At this time, it’s not clear how alcohol in breast milk can affect a developing baby.

Depending on the amount of alcohol you drink and the frequency with which you drink, you may not need to stop breastfeeding if you drink alcohol. You can speak with your health care provider as well as the baby’s pediatrician about how much alcohol you are drinking as well as all your choices for breastfeeding. You can also contact a MotherToBaby counselor at (866) 626-6847 to talk about alcohol and other exposures during breastfeeding.

Chris Colón is a certified genetic counselor based in Tucson, Arizona and proud mother of two. She currently works for The University of Arizona as a Teratogen Information Specialist at MotherToBaby Arizona, formerly known as the Arizona Pregnancy Riskline. Her counseling experience includes prenatal and cardiac genetics, and she has served as MotherToBaby’s Education Committee Co-chair since 2012.

MotherToBaby is a service of the international Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have questions about alcohol, medications, vaccines, diseases, or other exposures, call MotherToBaby toll-FREE at 866-626-6847. You can also visit MotherToBaby.org to browse a library of fact sheets.

By Elizabeth Salas, MPH, Teratology Information Specialist, MotherToBaby California

“Do women really eat their placenta after delivery?” I was asked many years ago when a coworker mentioned a famous celebrity had talked about it during an interview. I had never heard of the practice before. As I await the birth of my first child, I got to thinking about this question again. I mean, the placenta-eating crowd has really created some demand over the last couple of years! Today, you can easily find services that will encapsulate your placenta, countless articles on the web, and even websites that offer placenta recipes. What’s next? Seeing it on a menu? Imagine hearing at your favorite dine, “I’d like a burger, fries and a placenta pop, please!” Bottom line, women are talking about it, asking about it, and yes, eating their placenta.¹

The human placenta is an amazing organ, but what exactly does it do?

The placenta is a temporary organ that develops during pregnancy to connect mom and her developing baby. The placenta provides oxygen and nutrients, removes substances or waste that could be harmful, and protects the baby from mom’s immune system.² The placenta also produces hormones that play an important role in pregnancy and the baby’s development.³ When there are problems with the placenta, this can cause serious complications for mom and baby. Furthermore, as our knowledge of the placenta continues to grow, research suggests that problems with the placenta may give us clues or even cause future disease in mom or baby.⁴

What do we know about placentophagy?

The term placentophagy refers to the consumption of the placenta. Among mammal species, animals commonly eat raw placenta immediately after the delivery of their offspring. It has been theorized that animals instinctively consume the placenta for its nutritional benefit to the mother animal, or to prevent predators from being attracted to the location of their newly born offspring.⁵ Human placentophagy however, does not consist of eating the raw placenta immediately after delivery. Typically the placenta is processed and consumed in small quantities in the weeks or months after delivery. Some cultures practice consumption of the placenta, but according to studies of cultures around the world this is a rare practice.⁶

Are there benefits to consuming the placenta after delivery?

Supporters of placenta consumption point to several possible benefits for mom. Iron is an essential element needed by our bodies for blood production.⁷ When a woman delivers, it is normal to expect some blood loss. Since the placenta is rich in iron, consuming placenta may replace some of the iron lost during birth. The placenta also produces a substance called placental opioid-enhancing factor (POEF) which may aid in pain relief after delivery. Placenta consumption has also been suggested to improve milk production and decrease the chance of postpartum depression. The placenta contains a hormone called placental lactogen which can stimulate milk production. It also contains the hormones progesterone and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Women with low levels of these hormones may be more likely to develop postpartum depression. Therefore, it is thought that consuming placenta containing these hormones could possibly decrease the risk of depression.⁸

While the practice of consuming placenta has gained popularity and the possible benefits may be worth investigating, the practice is mainly supported by individual cases or personal stories. Well controlled studies have not been conducted to investigate the safety of placentophagy or its efficacy in aiding with pain management, milk production, or reducing postpartum depression.⁹ Most of the studies published on placentophagy have focused on surveying both men and women regarding the practice and their attitudes towards it.

Have any concerns been raised regarding placenta consumption?

There is currently no regulation of the processing or consumption of human placenta. If the placenta is prepared by an outside party, how can a new mom be assured of sanitary practices and handling? How does she know she has received her own placenta back? Since the placenta is a blood product and tissue, there are concerns that consumption can transmit infectious diseases. There is also a possibility of contamination that may occur in the hospital or during the process of storage, preservation, or preparation.⁸

Some commentators suggest that due to the processing of the placenta which may include preservation, cooking, drying, or freezing of the tissue, there would be little or no nutritional health benefits. Individuals or companies that process the placenta may add herbal products which consumers should be aware of in case there is a sensitivity or allergy to these products. Some have also suggested that because the placenta acts as a filter of some environmental toxins, eating the placenta could expose mom to higher levels of harmful substances. Finally healthcare providers have also expressed concerns that women experiencing postpartum depression may not seek help or may refuse treatment with medications proven to be effective because they are self-treating at home with placenta.⁹

What can I do if I’m concerned about postpartum depression or milk production?

If you are concerned about developing postpartum depression or think you may be experiencing symptoms, contact your doctor right away. Postpartum depression has serious consequences for both mom and baby, but help is available and symptoms should never be ignored. To learn more about Depression During and After Pregnancy, check out the following fact sheet: http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/depression-pregnancy.pdf

You can also learn more by visiting the following links:

http://www.postpartum.net/learn-more/pregnancy-postpartum-mental-health/

https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/illnesses/postpartum-depression.html#pubs

If you have recently delivered or are getting close to delivery, and have concerns about producing enough milk, talk to your pediatrician, a lactation consultant, or attend a breastfeeding support group. Making small modifications during breastfeeding can make a big difference. To learn more about solutions to common challenges that come up when breastfeeding visit the following womenshealth.gov page: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/common-breastfeeding-challenges.html

For more information on breastfeeding support, information, and resources visit the following links: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/finding-breastfeeding-support.html

http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-resources.html

Is it safe to breast feed while consuming placenta?

No studies have been published to accurately evaluate safety of consuming placenta during breastfeeding. Among the things a mom consumes in her diet or the medications she takes, some substances pass more easily into breast milk and can reach the breastfed infant. Because every woman’s placenta is slightly different, some placentas may contain substances that others do not or they may contain very different levels of a particular substance compared to another placenta. Without testing individual placentas, it would be difficult to evaluate how they differ and how safe mom’s consumption might be for babies who are breastfed.

Where can I get more information about the safety of exposures during breastfeeding?

MotherToBaby experts are ready to answer all of your questions on exposures during breastfeeding. We also answer questions about exposures in pregnancy for women who are currently pregnant or planning a pregnancy, as well as their healthcare providers. You can speak with a MotherToBaby counselor through our free and confidential service. Call us toll free at (866) 626-6847.

Elizabeth Salas, MPH is the Lead Teratology Information Specialist for MotherToBaby California, a non-profit that provides information to healthcare providers and the general public about medications and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding. She is based at the University of California, San Diego, and is passionate about the work MotherToBaby is doing to promote healthy moms, healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

MotherToBaby is a service of the international Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have questions about medications, vaccines, diseases, or other exposures, call MotherToBaby toll-FREE at 866-626-6847 or call the Pregnancy Studies team directly at 877-311-8972. You can also visit MotherToBaby.org to browse a library of fact sheets, as well as pregnancy studies.

References:

1. Storrs, C. (2015, June 5). Eating Placenta: Trendy, but benefits are fuzzy. CNN.com. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/04/health/eating-placenta/
2. Donnelly L, Campling G. Functions of the placenta. Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine. 2011 March; 12 (3):111-5.
3. Hsiao EY, Patterson PH. Placental regulation of maternal-fetal interactions and brain development. Developmental Neurobiology. 2012 Oct; 72(10):1317-26.
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