Callie Landis makes a living dehydrating placentas for new mothers to eat. As founder of Lancaster Placenta Company in Pennsylvania, she turns organs into capsules, tinctures, balms and placenta gummy bears. 'They're pink and glittery,' Landis said. 'That encompasses womanhood through and through.'
Proponents of placentophagy claim benefits such as aiding breast milk production, reducing postpartum depression and helping with postnatal healing. Celebrities including Alicia Silverstone, Chrissy Teigen and members of the Kardashian family have endorsed the practice. Reality star Kailyn Lowry recently posted photos of a placenta smoothie made with Landis's lab.
Companies like Mommy Made Encapsulation, with locations in five US states, have turned the practice into a lab-grade, mess-free business. Founder Juliane Corona said her celebrity clients include Ashlee Simpson, Shay Mitchell and Jenna Dewan. 'These celebrities and influencers really propelled my business,' Corona said. 'They've allowed moms to feel like they weren't the only crazy person who wanted to do it.'
However, a 2017 case of an Oregon baby contracting a strep infection after the mother ingested dried placenta capsules prompted a warning from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said a 2017 study found 'no scientific evidence of any clinical benefit of placentophagy among humans'. There is no oversight from the US Food and Drug Administration.
Corona acknowledged the lack of research. 'It's so hard because there's not enough research out there to prove it one way or another,' she said. 'I tell women, in life there is no guarantee with anything, but what I can say is if it helps you have less sad days, that's a good thing.'
