A Matched Cohort Study of Postpartum Placentophagy in Women With a History of Mood Disorders: No Evidence for Impact on Mood, Energy, Vitamin B12 Levels, or Lactation

Abstract Objective Although empirical studies investigating its effects are scarce, postpartum placentophagy is increasing in popularity because of purported benefits on mood, energy, lactation, and overall nutrition. Therefore, this study sought to test the hypotheses that women who consumed their placenta (placentophagy exposed [PE]) would have (1) fewer depressive symptoms, (2) more energy, (3) higher vitamin B 12 levels, and (4) less pharmaceutical lactation support during the postpartum than women who did not consume their placenta (non–placentophagy exposed [NE]). Methods Using data from a large, longitudinal study of gene × environment effects involving perinatal women with a history of mood disorders, the study investigators identified a PE cohort and matched them 4:1 (by psychiatric diagnosis, psychotropic medication use, supplementation, income, and age) with an NE cohort from the same dataset. The study investigated differences between the PE and NE cohorts with respect to scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Sleep-Wake Activity Inventory, vitamin B 12 levels, and the use of pharmaceutical lactation support (Canadian Taskforce Classification II-2). Results The sample of 138 women (28 in the PEcohort, matched to 110 in the NE cohort) provided 80% power at α = 0.0125 to detect an effect of moderate magnitude (which can be used to approximate an effect of clinically significant magnitude).There were no differences in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scaleor Sleep-Wake Activity Inventory scales ( P  = 0.28 and P  = 0.39, respectively), vitamin B 12 levels ( P  = 0.68), or domperidone use ( P  = 1) between the PE and NE cohorts. Conclusion These data provide no support for the idea that postpartum placentophagy improves mood, energy, lactation, or plasma vitamin B 12 levels in women with a history of mood disorders.