When Birth Becomes Business: The Untold Truth About the Placenta Industry

 

Childbirth is sacred. It’s a moment of pain, power, and purpose  where a new life begins and a mother’s journey transforms. But behind the curtain of that sacred moment, another story unfolds quietly — one that most mothers never hear, and very few question.

This is the untold story of what happens to the placenta, the temporary organ that sustains a baby in the womb  after delivery.

What Is the Placenta, and Why Does It Matter?

The placenta is more than just a biological organ. It is a medical goldmine. Rich in stem cells, hormones, amino acids, growth factors, and regenerative compounds, it plays a vital role in both natural healing and modern science.

Pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms view the placenta not just as medical waste, but as a high-value product. Its uses span across:

Stem cell therapy

Wound healing

Fertility and hormone research

High-end skincare

Immunotherapy and organ regeneration

It’s so valuable, in fact, that a single human placenta can be worth tens of thousands of dollars in processed medical or cosmetic products.

The Dark Secret: Mothers Are Rarely Informed

Here lies the problem.

In many hospitals  especially in private and urban institutions  placental tissue is collected immediately after delivery without the mother being fully informed. Consent forms may be vague, generalized, or skipped altogether.

For years, mothers have walked out of maternity wards completely unaware that something was taken from their bodies and sold to corporations.

This is not just happening in the West  it happens here in Africa, too. In both private and public hospitals, the placenta quietly disappears. And while hospitals may justify it as "medical waste management," the truth is, there’s a booming global industry profiting behind closed doors.

Where Does the Placenta Go?

Once collected, placentas are processed and sold to:

Biotech companies developing new therapies

Pharmaceutical firms producing hormonal and regenerative drugs

Cosmetic brands making luxury creams and serums

Research labs studying tissue regeneration and disease control

In the U.S., U.K., China, South Korea, and other countries, there are entire companies built around placental tissue banking. And many of them source their materials from hospitals  often through quiet partnerships.

The Ethical Crisis

Let’s be clear it’s not wrong to use placenta for science. In fact, medical advancements should be celebrated.

The problem is the silence.

The problem is the lack of informed consent.

The problem is the exploitation of women — especially in low-income communities  who are never told what’s being done with their own biological material.

This is an issue of bodily autonomy, medical ethics, and economic justice. How can hospitals profit from a woman’s body without her knowledge or permission?

If the placenta is so valuable, why are the mothers, the ones who carried and birthed it — left completely out of the conversation?

What Can Be Done?

This issue calls for: ✅ Transparency — Hospitals must disclose the fate of placental tissue

✅ Consent — Mothers must have a clear option to opt-in or opt-out

✅ Compensation — If there’s profit, mothers deserve a share or a say

✅ Awareness — Women must be educated about their rights at birth

There are already ethical tissue donation programs in some countries. But without strong regulation and public awareness, medical exploitation will continue to hide in plain sight.

A Call to Mothers, Health Workers, and Lawmakers

As a mother, a daughter, or simply a concerned citizen —this affects you.

Let us ask:

Are our hospitals honest about this process?

Are we being given real choices?

Can we trust that our bodies won’t be monetized without our knowledge?

The placenta gave life. The least we can do is respect it  and the women who created it.

🖊️ By Betty Kiende

📍 Raising voices. Revealing truth. Reclaiming dignity.

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