Another placenta has been lost to mishandling, and miscommunication.
A woman gave birth to her baby in a Texas hospital late last night, and had requested that the placenta be saved so that she could take it home. She was also honest with them, that she wanted to prepare it and use it for her postpartum recovery. She asked them to refrigerate it for her until she could get it home.
Unfortunately, after repeated requests, she was finally told that the placenta had been placed in a solution (presumably saline, but possibly formeldahyde). It was not refrigerated, and she was not told about that until 12 hours past its birth. As a result, her placenta has been ruined.
This was a single mama who really needed all the extra help she could get in her transition to motherhood. It is a heartbreaking situation, and as always, I want this to be the last time this happens to a woman.
If you are considering using the placenta for your postpartum recovery, and will be birthing in a hospital, please read my article Hospital Release of Placentas.
If you are birthing at home, or if you are a midwife or doula, please read my Placenta Care article.
It is always so sad to hear of these situations, and I don’t want it to happen to anyone else.
Save the placentas!