In Search of Human Placentophagy: A Cross-Cultural Survey of Human Placenta Consumption, Disposal Practices, and Cultural Beliefs

Journal of Food and Nutrition Vol/Iss. 49 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Published In Pages: 467-484
By Young, Sharon M., Benyshek, Daniel C.

Hypothesis

There are ethnographic accounts of human societies that specify the special handling/treatment/disposition of the placenta following parturition other than placentophagy.

Note

The most common treatment/disposition of the placenta was burial (55.0%) followed by intentional displacing or disposing of the placenta (9.4%), hanging or placing the placenta in a tree (8.3%), discarding the placenta (7.7%), culture-specific (3.0%), and a form of consumption (1.8%).

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Percentage ComparisonPartially SupportedUNKNOWNUNKNOWNUNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Treatment/Disposal of the Placenta DependentChildbirth