Placenta
What Does the Placenta Do During Pregnancy?
The placenta plays a crucial role during pregnancy. It serves as the lifeline between the mother and the developing fetus. This temporary organ, which forms and attaches to the uterine wall, facilitates the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products between the mother’s blood and the fetus’s blood. It also produces essential hormones, such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), progesterone, and estrogen, which support pregnancy and fetal development.
By acting as a barrier, the placenta protects the fetus from harmful substances and infections, while also managing immune tolerance to prevent the mother’s body from rejecting the fetus. Overall, the placenta ensures a suitable environment for fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy.
Placenta Delivery
Afterbirth delivery, also known as the third stage of labor, involves pushing out the placenta and other fetal membranes following the birth of the baby. This stage typically begins immediately after the newborn is delivered and lasts from a few minutes to up to 30 minutes.
The process is facilitated by uterine contractions that help detach the placenta from the uterine wall and push it out through the birth canal. Doctors and midwives often assist by gently pulling on the umbilical cord while applying pressure to the mother’s abdomen, a technique known as controlled cord traction. Ensuring the complete delivery of the placenta is vital to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and infection. After it is completely delivered, the placenta is carefully examined to confirm its entirety, as any retained fragments can lead to complications.
Why Would You Want to Save Your Placenta?
What you do with your placenta after birth is a personal choice. Saving the placenta after pregnancy is a choice some parents make for various personal, cultural, and health-related reasons. One common motivation to keeping placenta after birth is the potential health benefits, as the placenta is rich in nutrients and hormones. Some believe that consuming the placenta, often through encapsulation, can aid in postpartum recovery by replenishing lost nutrients, boosting energy levels, and reducing the risk of postpartum depression. Additionally, some parents choose to preserve the placenta for its stem cells, which might be used in future medical treatments for the child or family members. Overall, the decision to save the placenta is deeply personal, influenced by your own choices.
When trying to decide whether to keep your placenta or not, Dr. Samantha usually recommends listening to your intuition. If you instantly get an “ick” feeling when you hear the words “placenta consumption” then most likely the right answer for you is to not keep it for encapsulation. On the other hand, if you hear the words “placenta consumption” and are intrigued by the idea of possible benefits, then most likely the answer for you is to keep it.
Dr. Samantha has contacts locally who will process the placenta for encapsulation. Reach out if this is something you are interested in and would like more information.
Be Well,
The Family Roots Team
Resource used: https://surrogacymama.com/guide-to-placenta-encapsulation/
