The Unconventional World of Placenta Parties

The sun was shining brightly on Santa Monica Boulevard, casting a warm glow over the scene unfolding before us. Electric Mercedes SUVs sparkled in the sunlight, and entitled little dogs sashayed down the sidewalk. The cloud cover had been diverted to Culver City, ensuring a perfect spring Sunday morning. Inside the Peninsula Hotel, a small group of women had gathered on a sunny terrace off the main dining room. Strapless dresses, Chanel handbags, Stuart Weitzman slingbacks, and feathered brows adorned the ladies. Waiters silently passed drinks, and a harpist played soothing melodies in the corner. The center of the group stood a tall woman with long, thick hair and a very pregnant midsection. This was her party, and it was a celebration like no other. The cocktail tray featured “Postpartum Potion” and “Womb Juice,” and the cake on its pedestal was a sight to behold – a round, blood-red masterpiece with a fondant umbilical cord rising out of the top. The cake was adorned with a placenta party theme, a departure from the traditional baby showers that usually feature flowers and “It’s a Boy!” signs. “When I had my first son, I had baby blues for a week or two after I gave birth,” said Ali Arnkoff, the woman at the center of the party. “But this pregnancy has been different, and due to my hormones, I was really worried about having postpartum depression. I spoke to some friends who had done placenta encapsulation and had really good experiences.”
As someone new to terms like “placenta encapsulation,” it was hard not to throw up in disgust. However, Arnkoff explained, “I liked the idea of taking something from my body rather than taking something chemical. At first, I was very grossed out, but it’s so far from that.”
If you’re already grossed out, you might want to skip to the next paragraph. Here’s how placenta encapsulation works, according to Danielle Kinney, founder of Placenta Plus: “We get your placenta, it’s cleaned out, and certain membranes are removed if needed. It’s cut and dissected into very small, thin pieces, then dehydrated for 17 hours. The resulting product is a little like beef jerky and is ground down into a powder. It’s then put into capsules, and you eat them. You can only eat your own placenta, never someone else’s.”
Kinney started Placenta Plus in 2015 after her own personal struggles with postpartum depression. “I struggled with really bad postpartum depression after the birth of my second daughter, and I swore I would never have another baby,” she said. “I put my family through a lot, lost a lot of friendships. Four years later, I got pregnant again. Total accident. Like any crunchy mum, I didn’t want antidepressants and went on Google to see what I could do to prevent it. That’s when placenta encapsulation came up.”
No one really knows how long placentophagy has existed, but it’s not an ancient practice. The earliest examples of human women consuming their placentas date back to the 1970s in America. (One report is from 1973, referring to a Rolling Stone story about a mother living on a commune who steamed her placenta before enjoying it with friends.) And non-human women? Well, they’re all doing it. Most placental mammals ingest their placentas after giving birth. Kinney did her Google search 14 years ago, and following her own placentophagy experience and depression-free postpartum period, she started her company. To date, Placenta Plus has performed over 30,000 encapsulations, a staggering number that belies the controversy surrounding this practice. For $500, someone from Placenta Plus will come to the hospital as soon as you deliver your baby, collect your placenta, and process it in their lab. Within 48 hours, you’ll have your pills. “It’s a very personal thing,” said Kinney. “Some mums take a pill every day, some take several, and some keep pills as a keepsake.”
The price can go up to $1,500 for the Cadillac package, which includes cosmetics, baby lotion, face cream, and body balm. “All our cosmetics are natural, handmade, and only have the finest ingredients,” Kinney said. “We also make a balm to use on cracked nipples from breastfeeding and C-section scars. The balm is my favorite product, and it lasts.” According to Kinney, it’s a natural form of hormone replacement therapy. Over the years, some Placenta Plus clients have decided to gather their friends and family to celebrate the placenta party. Some choose to have their celebration before or after encapsulation, and the baby might be in attendance, but the placenta is never present. Arnkoff’s party was a masterclass in creativity, featuring themed cocktails, a placenta painting art project, and a “placenta blessing circle” where the group made a short blessing to Arnkoff and her unborn baby. As the world of placentophagy bumps up against the world of western medicine, concerns about safety and efficacy arise. The Mayo Clinic states that “there is no standardized, safe way to prepare the placenta for eating” and that “there’s no evidence that eating the placenta has health benefits.” The Centers for Disease Control advises against consuming placenta, citing the risk of infection and the presence of trace elements like cadmium and mercury. A 2015 review of 10 published studies on placentophagy found no human or animal data to support the claims that eating the placenta mitigates postpartum depression, helps with lactation, or improves the skin. The review also failed to identify any studies on the risks of eating your placenta. Shieva Ghofrany, an OBGYN based in Connecticut, warned that eating placenta can lead to infections, and you may also get trace elements that are not good for you. The company Placenta Plus employs both a microbiologist and biochemist to ensure that their processes are safe and bacteria-free. However, the CDC notes that no standards exist for processing placentas for consumption. In conclusion, the world of placentophagy is a complex and multifaceted one, full of contradictions and controversies. While some women swear by the benefits of placenta encapsulation, others raise valid concerns about safety and efficacy. As with any health practice, it’s essential to approach placentophagy with a critical and nuanced perspective.