The Amazing Placenta: Understanding the Purpose of this Unique Organ

During pregnancy, you probably think mostly about how well your baby is developing. In fact, your little one’s growth is quite apparent as your belly blooms. But there is something else that’s developing in your uterus: The amazing placenta.

You may be asking, “What is the placenta?” This incredible organ is the only one of its kind in the human body. It’s temporary, meaning it grows specifically during gestation, and it’s meant to be discarded when the pregnancy is over.

When you really study the placenta and its purpose, though, it’s truly astounding. Scientists are always researching the placenta and learning more about its role in maternal and fetal health, including its effect on preeclampsia. In this blog, we’ll share some of the basics when it comes to the placenta, and we’ll also delve into its unique mechanisms that give your baby life.

What is the Placenta?

The placenta is a complex and fascinating organ that develops in the uterus only during pregnancy. It attaches to the uterine wall and connects to the baby via the umbilical cord. This pancake-shaped structure is meaty and bloody, and it contains the same genetic material as the baby.

Soon after you deliver your baby, the placenta will also be born. Contractions continue, although they are much milder than those that occur during labor. These ongoing waves encourage the placenta to come out, usually within 15-30 minutes after the baby’s birth. Up to one hour is considered normal.

Following the placenta’s emergence, our midwives conduct an exam and inspect the size, shape, and consistency of the organ. One of the most important things we look for is that the placenta is complete, meaning it’s not missing any pieces. Even a small amount left behind can lead to an increased risk of hemorrhage or infection.

What is the Purpose of the Placenta?

The placenta is truly a life-giving organ. Without the placenta performing its functions well, the baby would not develop and grow properly. What exactly are the roles of the placenta? Let’s cover a few.

• Protection: The placenta serves as a barrier and helps prevent toxins from reaching the baby.

• Oxygenation: The placenta delivers oxygenated blood to the baby.

• Hormonal production: The placenta produces specific hormones that keep the pregnancy healthy and thriving. These include estrogen, progesterone, and lactogen.

• Nourishment: The placenta transfers glucose and other important nutrients to the baby.

• Waste removal: The placenta keeps your baby safe by getting rid of waste.

Does the Placenta Play a Role in Preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a serious condition that can develop during pregnancy — typically in the third trimester, though it can occur any time after 20 weeks. The symptoms of preeclampsia include high blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling, headaches, and blurred vision. It usually goes away after your baby is born, but it’s also possible to develop postpartum preeclampsia.

What does preeclampsia have to do with the placenta? While no one is entirely sure what causes preeclampsia, most scientists believe it comes from a problem with the placenta’s health. According to research conducted by Yale University physician and scientist Harvey Kliman, by the third trimester, 20-25 percent of all the gestational parent’s blood flow is going into the placenta. In some instances, if the placenta is not getting enough blood, it tries to force the pregnant person’s body to pump more and more blood into it. This dangerous scenario causes high blood pressure in the expectant parent and is when preeclampsia happens.

What Can I Do with my Placenta After Giving Birth?

After your baby is born, there are several options for the placenta if you choose to keep it. (You can also leave the placenta with your birthing facility, and they will dispose of it if you elect not to keep it.) Magnolia’s sister company, The Gathering Place, offers the following services.

Encapsulation

This process involves the steaming and drying of the placenta, which is then ground into a powdered form and poured into a vegetable capsule for consumption. Essentially, it’s your placenta in a pill! You simply swallow the placenta capsule as you would your morning vitamins. It's taken as a supplement in the weeks after childbirth.

While there have been very few formal studies conducted on placenta encapsulation, most research that does exist is based on maternal reports. Some birthing parents report benefits, including:

• ⁠Increased breast milk supply⁠

• Help with the emotional adjustment during the postpartum period⁠

• Boosted iron levels⁠

• Overall quicker postpartum recovery⁠

• Less bleeding after birth

• Improved hormonal balance via the release of oxytocin⁠

Tincture

A tincture is a concentrated extract usually made by soaking herbs or other plant parts in alcohol or vinegar. To create a placenta tincture, a piece of placenta is dissolved in the liquid. If you’ve chosen placenta encapsulation, you’ll take the placenta capsules first. Then, the tincture is something you can use after the pills are gone in times of stress or to cope with menstrual or menopause symptoms. (Yes, a tincture can last a long time!)

Some of the benefits of using a placenta tincture include:

• Easing postpartum hormonal fluctuations⁠

• Decreasing PMS symptoms⁠

• Reducing insomnia⁠

• Calming anxiety and emotional distress⁠

• Balancing moods⁠

⁠

To take the tincture, you dissolve a few drops in liquid. Because of its potency, it’s not recommended to use the tincture every day — only during times of need. 

Placenta Art

When you reserve placenta encapsulation services with The Gathering Place, you also have the option to add on a print. This is a wonderful way to create a beautiful keepsake from your placenta before it’s steamed, dehydrated, ground into a powder, and poured into capsules.

Burial

In some cultures, it’s traditional for families to bury their placenta after a baby’s birth. This ritual honors the placenta’s role in helping the baby to grow. Some of our clients want to carry on this placenta burial tradition but don’t have the land to do so. At Magnolia, we have a garden area behind the birth center, so some clients choose to bury their placenta here.

It seems fitting that these families welcome their baby earth side at Magnolia and then return the placenta here, signifying the baby's connection to the earth and symbolically "closing” the birth cycle. You may also choose to bury your placenta in another location that’s significant to you and your family.

Miami’s Premier Natural Birthing Center – Prenatal Care and Birth Services in Miami

Do you want to learn more about Magnolia Birth House’s commitment to healthy pregnancy and natural birthing? Request a free consultation by calling 786-953-6534 or filling out our form.