Thursday, August 25, 2011

Placenta Encapsulation

CBC has posted a short clip about a woman in Saskatoon who provides these services:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2011/08/19/sk-placenta-pills-1008.html

What are your thoughts? Do we need to have scientific evidence and studies? Or is anecdotal evidence enough? Mothers are saying this works for them- would you consider it?

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting your thoughts ladies. You have all had very normal and almost expected reactions on the topic. As the woman making the capsules even said, she first thought it was gross but then the anecdotal evidence began to win her over. However, I think something that is being missed is the history of placenta rituals in different cultures around the world in different forms. It is common to treat the placenta with great respect as it plays a great role in nurturing and providing for the growing fetus. There are several other traditions such as: placenta art, planting the placenta and now a more sterile popular method here in North America called cord blood banking. It is obvious from the comments below that placenta encapsulation is not for everyone. Islamically until there is a fatwa issued on the matter we do not in fact know the complete ruling on the topic and Allah knows best.

    We talk a lot about natural birth on the site, but how does one define that? For some people this is considered natural and apart of the natural birthing and postpartum process. The placenta is included in their birth plan and apart of their vision.

    As readers and contributors to the site we are entitled to have opinions, but we should keep in mind that this blog is a place to share and discuss ideas. As Mothers or Mothers to be, we should be empathetic in understanding the reasons behind behaviors and take benefit from that. It is not of much benefit to pronounce judgement and close the mind. At the end of the day these mothers are aiming to givie back to their babies and body what was already there. There is much for us to learn from this.

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  2. Asalaamu Alaykum,

    I agree wholeheartedly with your comment above. I am a nurse-midwifery student in the US and having researched the health benefits of consuming the placenta, all I can say is subhanaallah. I've been seeking a fatwa for the permissibility of consuming placenta however as of now I would not go straight to haraam as there is not enough evidence against it and we are not scholars to make ijtihad. I've been asking around though so inshaallah I'll get a response soon. At the very least we know there are proven benefits for post-partum hemorrhageand in that case it would be medically indicated. I used to think 'ew' right off when I heard of this but recently I asked my husband what he would think (if halaal) if I got my placenta encapsulated for me to take. He gave me a double-take but clearly I'm warming to the idea ;).

    -A'ishah

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  3. Consider Americord for cord blood banking – Americord Donates Cord Blood Processing and Storage Costs for Children with Cerebral Palsy for parents that have banked with them. See http://cordadvantage.com/press-room.html

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