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 B12 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
B12 levels, and the use of pharmaceutical lactation support (Canadian Taskforce Classification
II-2).
Results
The sample of 138 women (28 in the PE cohort, 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 B12 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 B12 levels in women with a history of mood disorders.
Résumé
Objectif
Bien que les études empiriques sur le sujet soient rares, la placentophagie post-partum
gagne en popularité en raison de ses prétendus effets bénéfiques sur l'humeur, l'énergie,
la lactation et la nutrition en général. Cette étude visait donc à vérifier l'hypothèse
selon laquelle les femmes qui consomment leur placenta (exposées à la placentophagie
[EP]) présenteraient 1) moins de symptômes dépressifs; 2) plus d'énergie; 3) des taux
plus élevés de vitamine B12 et 4) une utilisation moindre de médicaments stimulant la lactation pendant le post-partum
comparativement aux femmes qui ne consomment pas leur placenta (non exposées à la
placentophagie [NE]).
Méthodologie
À l'aide des données d'une importante étude longitudinale portant sur les impacts
des interactions gènes-environnement chez les femmes périparturientes ayant des antécédents
de troubles de l'humeur, les chercheurs ont créé une cohorte EP et ont associé à chaque
femme EP quatre femmes NE (appariées selon le diagnostic psychiatrique, l'usage de
psychotropes, la prise de suppléments, le revenu et l'âge) faisant partie du même
ensemble de données. L'étude s'est intéressée aux différences entre les cohortes EP
et NE en ce qui concerne les résultats à l'Échelle de dépression post-partum d'Édimbourg
et au Sleep-Wake Activity Inventory, les taux de vitamine B12 et l'utilisation de médicaments stimulant la lactation (Classification II-2 du Groupe
d'étude canadien).
Résultats
L'échantillon de 138 femmes (28 dans la cohorte EP et 110 dans la cohorte NE) offrait
une puissance de 80 % pour α = 0,0125 dans la détection d'un effet modéré (pouvant
être utilisé pour estimer un effet cliniquement significatif). Il n'y avait pas de
différence entre la cohorte EP et la cohorte NE dans les résultats à l'Échelle de
dépression post-partum d'Édimbourg ou aux échelles du Sleep-Wake Activity Inventory
(P = 0,28 et P = 0,39, respectivement), les taux de vitamine B12 (P = 0,68), ou l'usage de dompéridone (P = 1).
Conclusion
Ces données n'appuient pas l'idée selon laquelle la placentophagie post-partum améliorerait
l'humeur, l'énergie, la lactation ou le taux plasmatique de vitamine B12 chez les femmes présentant des antécédents de troubles de l'humeur.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 02, 2019
Footnotes
Competing interests: See Acknowledgements.
Each author has indicated that they meet the journal's requirements for authorship.
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
