Six things to know about placenta, as acid attack victim receives ‘special’ surgery
“It was just burning. I knew instantly. I couldn't see anything, I couldn't breathe, it was in my nose and mouth. I thought I was fighting for my life,” 43-year-old Paul Laskey said of the 2023 acid attack in Newcastle that left him with severe fourth-degree burns and loss of eyesight.
Mugged and held at knifepoint when with his son, the father-of-three had the corrosive substance squirted into his eye, which was flushed by emergency medics as soon as possible. But despite their efforts, Mr Laskey was told that the damage to his eye meant the cells could not repair or regenerate.
After spending six months confined to a dark room and experiencing “horrific” headaches, Mr Laskey was told by medical professionals that they could attempt "special" stem cell surgery in a bid to save his eye and restore some of his sight.
He then received a donated placenta, tissue from the inner lining of which, the amnion, was grafted, stabilising his eye and avoiding further damage.
In light of Mr Laskey's experience, we explore what the placenta can do – and bust some popular myths about the organ.
What does the placenta do?
The placenta is an organ formed in the womb during pregnancy. Connecting the baby to the mother via the umbilical cord, the placenta is not only vital to the foetus' development and growth – providing oxygen and nutrients – it also removes waste from the baby's blood.
What impacts the health of the placenta?
There are a number of factors that influence the health of the placenta, including:
The age of the pregnant person
Previous surgery on the uterus
Substance abuse
Being pregnant with twins
High blood pressure
Water breaking before labour
What happens to the placenta after birth?
During the third stage of labour, once the baby has been birthed, the placenta must also be delivered to prevent life-threatening bleeding and infection.
When giving birth to her daughter North and son Saint, Kim Kardashian suffered from placenta accreta, a serious condition that means the placenta attaches too deeply to the uterine wall. In 2017, she wrote on her website: "Right after delivery, the placenta usually then comes out. Mine did not. My placenta stayed attached inside my uterus, which is a condition called placenta accreta.
"My doctor had to stick his entire arm in me and detach the placenta with his hand, scraping it away from my uterus with his fingernails. How disgusting and painful!!!
"My mom was crying, she had never seen anything like this before. My delivery was fairly easy, but then going through that – it was the most painful experience of my life."
How amniotic membrane grafts work
Mr Laskey's case isn’t the first time placenta grafts have been used to treat damaged areas of the eye – the placenta can stimulate and aid the healing process.
This type of graft is introduced to the body or onto the skin and works by surrounding and protecting the damaged tissue – effectively acting as scaffolding that helps repair damaged cells.
A single placenta can make anywhere between 50 to 100 amnion grafts, and the patch of donated tissue joins that of the patient's. Amniotic membrane has anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring effects.
How to donate a placenta
While most placentas are thrown away after birth, they can be donated to help those like Mr Laskey, whether directly or through medical research.
You must have had an elective (or planned) caesarean in order to donate your placenta. To check your eligibility for the scheme, medical staff will run a simple blood test and ask you about your medical history. It's also important to note that donation is not available at every hospital.
What else you can do with the placenta
1. Eat the placenta
Although some allege that eating the placenta can help ease the effects of postpartum depression, low mood and also give you energy and nutrients, there is no scientific evidence to back this up.
Some have opted to blend their placenta in a fruit smoothie within hours of giving birth, in a bid to get any leftover nutrients remaining in the organ. Others have theirs made into capsules or gummies, and ingest them as they would vitamins or supplements, saying that the pills encourage breast milk production and lift their energy and mood.
In 2014, the Independent Placenta Encapsulation Network (IPEN) was prevented from operating in the UK after Dacorum Borough Council raised concerns over bacterial contamination – which, it said, raised "a number of potentially serious health risks."
Celebrities, including Mandy Moore, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen and Hilary Duff have all eaten their placentas in one form or another.
2. Bury the placenta
Symbolic of the new life brought into the world, mothers in many cultures choose to take the placenta home with them to bury in the ground. It is meant to connect their child to the earth, their ancestors and "root" them to their homeland.
According the Royal Women's Hospital, if you plan to bury your placenta, it will need to be placed in a container and not be re-opened until you are ready to commit it to the ground. Although burying "bodily remains" is a criminal offence, the hospital outlines that the placenta is not considered as such, because it is human tissue. Before burying your placenta, it is advisable you speak to your local council and authorities for guidance.
Standard hygiene safety rules should also be followed, including covering any cuts or abrasions you have, wearing protective gloves when handling the placenta, and washing your hands thoroughly before and after. It's also important that you bury it deep enough to prevent it becoming a potential source of infection to humans or being scavenged by animals.
3. Make placenta art
Another increasingly popular trend is placenta art – which involves creating a unique keepsake from paints and other materials, as well as the dried placenta.
Read more about health:
Five surprising health benefits of dancing (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
The health benefits of honey – and how to spot the fake stuff (The Telegraph, 10-min read)
Eat these 10 healthiest nuts for better gut health and immunity, recommend nutritionists (Women's Health, 7-min read)
