Can I eat placenta after abortion?

In the last century, my country began to implement the family planning policy, which led to many families not daring to have a second child. Therefore, women who accidentally became pregnant with a second child chose to go to the hospital for an abortion. After the abortion in the hospital, they need to rest and replenish their bodies. So, can you eat placenta after an abortion? Let’s find out today.

Placenta refers to the human placenta. Doctors believe that the placenta is sweet, salty and warm in nature, and enters the lung, heart and kidney meridians. It has the functions of nourishing the kidney and essence, replenishing qi and nourishing blood. Modern medical research believes that the placenta contains protein, sugar, calcium, vitamins, immune factors, female hormones, progesterone, steroid hormones, gonadotropin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, etc., which can promote the development of the breast, uterus, vagina, and testicles, and also has a promoting effect on the thyroid gland. It is also effective for tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, anemia, etc. Grinding it into powder and taking it orally or by enema can prevent measles or alleviate symptoms. It also has a certain therapeutic effect on ascites caused by portal vein cirrhosis and ascites caused by advanced schistosomiasis.

When a woman becomes pregnant, the fertilized egg enters the uterus from the lower part of the fallopian tube and implants on the endometrium; the egg develops into an embryo, and the surrounding uterine membrane continues to develop into the decidua. The mother's basal decidua and the fetus's chorionic villi combine to form the placenta. The placenta is an organ that provides nutrition, respiration and excretion to the fetus and produces secretions. During childbirth, the uterus contracts first, then the cervix dilates, the fetus breaks through the amniotic membrane and is delivered, and the umbilical cord is tied and cut; finally, the uterus contracts again, the spongy layer of the decidua basalis is separated from the uterine wall, and the placenta and fetal membranes are expelled.

So, what is the function of placenta?

1. Enhance the body's resistance: subcutaneous injection of human placenta extract into mice can prolong their swimming time; intramuscular injection into rats has a certain preventive and therapeutic effect on experimental gastric ulcers caused by reserpine, tension, and ligation of the lower part of the pylorus. Intraperitoneal injection of the hydrochloric acid hydrolyzate of defatted placenta into rats had a significant inhibitory effect on hepatic fat deposition caused by carbon tetrachloride and ethylthiobutyric acid. Oral administration of placenta powder to mice can reduce their tuberculosis lesions, and in test tubes it can actually promote the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore, it is believed that its main function is to enhance the body's resistance.

2. Anti-infection effect: Placental gamma-globulin contains interferon, which can be used to prevent and control viral infections. Placental γ-globulin also contains antibodies such as measles and influenza, as well as diphtheria antitoxin, which can be used to prevent and alleviate infectious diseases such as measles. Because placental γ-globulin is a protein, it is ineffective when taken orally and must be injected.

3. The placenta may contain chorionic gonadotropin, estrogen and progesterone components, and thus has the pharmacological effects of these hormones. However, human chorionic gonadotropin is a protein substance that is ineffective when taken orally and requires injection. Injection of placental extract into lactating rabbits seems to promote their development, and can significantly promote the development of the thymus, spleen, uterus, vagina, and mammary glands. It also has a promoting effect on the thyroid gland, testicles, etc., but has almost no effect on the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, ovaries, pancreas, liver, and kidneys.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the placenta is warm in nature and should not be used alone by patients with yin deficiency. It is also not suitable for those with real evil, otherwise it will add fuel to the fire. Therefore, it should be processed properly and consumed scientifically under the guidance of a doctor after diagnosis.

Even for healthy pregnant women, except for caesarean section, the placenta must be delivered through the birth canal, and will definitely be contaminated by a variety of bacteria. If it is eaten fresh, it has potential dangers to varying degrees. If it is not strictly disinfected, it will also spread some infectious diseases. Therefore, when eating fresh food, the heat processing time must be long enough to effectively kill pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, not all placentas from pregnant women can be used for medicinal or edible purposes, such as the placenta from sick women, moldy placenta, or unclean placenta. All are inedible. For example, pregnant women with blood-borne infectious diseases (such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, AIDS) will have corresponding pathogens in their placenta because there is a large amount of blood in the placenta. People with ulcers or other wounds in the digestive system may develop foodborne or bloodborne infections if they consume this type of placenta.

Well, that’s all we know today about the question of whether you can eat placenta after an abortion. I believe many friends have a certain understanding of this issue. In any case, women must take good care of themselves after the abortion, get enough rest, and replenish their bodies to ensure their future health.