Kailyn Lowry has ignited a debate on social media after she shared pictures of herself making a smoothie out of her placenta.
The Teen Mom star, 31, confirmed after months of speculation that she had secretly welcomed her fifth baby, a son named Rio, with her current boyfriend Elijah Scott last year.
This is the couple’s first child together, as Kailyn has four other children, including three-year-old son Creed and six-year-old Lux, with ex Chris Lopez.
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She also shares Lincoln, nine, with ex Javi Marroquin and 13-year-old son Isaac. Kailyn decided to keep the baby news to herself until recently.
The reality TV star shared pictures of the artwork she'd made of her placenta and someone using large scissors to slice it in preparation for the smoothie.
The TV personality and podcaster also shared a very short clip of the placenta being blended and the finished drink in a mason jar with simple straw.
Eating a placenta, also known as placentophagia, has become quite common, especially with Hollywood celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who ate her placenta in pill form following the birth of her son Saint West in December 2015, and as did Clueless star Alicia Silverstone.
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Kailyn’s decision to slurp her placenta through a straw garnered a mixed reaction on social media, however, with some users left absolutely disgusted while others were totally on board.
One shocked user wrote in the comments: “In the kitchen? Playing with organs? Where you will eat at? Yuck as f**k.”
A second person complained: “Why would you post this. I feel nauseous now”
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While a third wrote: “Oh my gosh, I’m scared.”
Lots of people came to Kailyn’s defense however, and asked why so many women were 'bothered' by the practice.
One person shared: “I’m surprised on how many women on here are so childish and don’t know how good this is for her and the baby! Anywho I’m definitely trying!”
Another follower penned: “Why are soooo many women - mothers specifically bothered by this ???”
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And a third commented: “Why is everyone so triggered????”
The placenta sustains the baby while it's in the womb by passing nutrients from the mother to the foetus which are discarded through the body during childbirth.
According to Healthline.com, some of the purported benefits that people claim to have after eating their placenta include improving lactation, preventing postpartum depression, relieving pain and improving energy.
Other mammals, like mice, also routinely eat their placentas, unlike humans.
Common methods of consumption include steaming and dehydrating the placenta before its turned into capsules by professionals, boiling and eating it like a regular piece of meat, or by adding it to a smoothie like Kailyn.
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However, there are reports that say eating your placenta may not, in fact, be safe, as a Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) study in 2016 found that eating one could contribute to late-onset group B Streptococcus infection, which can sometimes be fatal.
And a review by Northwestern University also said that there is no scientific evidence to prove that eating a placenta can protect women against postpartum depression, pain and boost energy.
The 2015 review said there 'hasn’t been any systematic research investigating the benefits or the risk of placenta ingestion'.
Healthline also suggests speaking to your doctor about the 'pros and cons' if you plan on eating your placenta.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/kaillowryTopics: Parenting, TV And Film