The illegal trade of placenta in China's black market continues despite its ban over a decade ago. Fresh human placentas are still on demand because many people believe in their healing properties.
It is either cooked, eaten fresh, or processed for businesses to sell as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). For many in mainland China, it is believed to be a legitimate treatment for those with a weak immune system, treatment for tuberculosis and hypothermia, and reproductive health.
According to the South Shina Morning Post (SCMP), the placenta's illegal trade usually occurs in Bozhou in Anhui, Pizhou in Jiangsu, and Yongcheng in Henan. Placentas are collected at around US$12.30 (80 yuan) from hospitals, medical waste plants, and funeral homes.
Reports also said that this unregulated trade does not get checked for possible organ infection that could be contaminated with hepatitis B, HIV, or syphilis.
Underground Markets in China Sells Fresh Human Placenta
Underground dealers of fresh human placenta in China buy discarded placentas with a strong smell of blood from hospitals, funeral parlors, and medical waste treatments and then sell them to illegal shops. Some of them are processed into pills and sold on shopping websites, according to The Standard.
A retailer from Xianyu, a secondhand item trading platform from Alibaba, sells placentas for 360 yuan but could "cut the price to 260 yuan" if more placentas will be bought. The retailer further said that they buy the placentas for 2,000 yuan per kilogram.
Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital obstetrician Huang Chengsheng, who has six years of experience, said that hospitals in China either return the placentas to mothers or dispose of them as medical waste if new mothers do not want them.
But Huang said that many mothers often choose to take home their placentas and eat them. It is the usual practice among Chinese people, especially the elderly, to eat the human placenta because they believe that it is rich in nutrients and has many health benefits.
Meanwhile, those who may feel uncomfortable eating the fresh human placenta could choose to process it into capsules. Some people offer door-to-door services for families who just gave birth to process the placenta.
Are the Health Benefits True?
Despite the claims made by many people about eating human placenta, The Reproductive Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region obstetrician Lin Xiu dismissed claims on its health benefits. She warns that using conventional cooking methods, the placenta cannot kill the virus that it may have, the International Business Times reported.
"If the mother has got infectious diseases, the placenta will also carry the virus," Lin said. "Conventional cooking methods can not kill those viruses. Only like the steamed disinfection used in hospitals to disinfect surgery equipment can do [that]."
Therefore, eating fresh placenta could transmit infectious diseases to whoever consumes it. Eating the human placenta could be dangerous to the health instead of beneficial, Lin added.
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