Akinde, who is chairman, Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, said placenta, in some cultures in Nigeria, especially in the eastern part, is highly valued.

He explained, “We have people that are superstitious. If a doctor cannot account for the placenta, he can be fought to any length, especially in the eastern part of the country.

“Some people bury the placenta in designated places. Their belief is that no matter where the child grows, he will always trace his path to where the placenta is buried.

“Some people believe that the placenta could be used for ritual purposes, hence their insistence on taking possession of it.

“So, that is why some families are so crazy about it that if a doctor cannot account for it, they might even want to take him to court.”

Akinde pointed out that some people believe that the destiny of the child is linked to whatever is done with the placenta. “But there is no medical basis for all these and there is no scientific basis for such belief,” he warned.

“So, many doctors have been harassed because they could not account for the placenta. I remember some time ago, a family that made a hell of noise because a doctor in one of the government hospitals where the woman delivered could not account for the placenta.

“They went to the press and they were making noise that the doctor had sold the placenta of their baby, accusing the doctor of selling the destiny of the baby.”

The gynaecologist urged doctors to always make sure that they account for the placenta in order to save themselves from accusations.

He suggested that doctors should always ask from family members of the woman if they want to collect the placenta or not before discarding it.

Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Cross River State chapter, Dr. Innocent Abang, also corroborated Akande’s statement, saying many people are steeped in traditional belief and practices about the placenta, though such practice has no scientific basis.

Abang said, “They believe that if somebody picks a baby’s placenta and buries it somewhere, that is where the child’s destiny is buried.

“So, there are a lot of connotations attached to it. Most times, family members take it themselves and go and bury it under a tree. Sometimes, they plant coconut atop the placenta.

“They believe that as the coconut is growing, that is the child growing. As it blossoms, they believe that the life of the child will blossom. So, there are a lot of spiritual, traditional and cultural connotations attached to the placenta. It is really funny.”

The NMA chairman noted that medically, immediately a child is born, the child has no business with the placenta, stressing also that the collection of placenta by family members has no link with medicine.

“But some family members can sue a doctor or burn down his hospital if he fails to produce the placenta.

“Many families do not joke with it. If the doctor mistakenly throws it away, that doctor is in trouble. They will read some many meanings to it.

“Many doctors have suffered in the hands of family members of women after delivery because of placenta. I have seen where a family member made serious trouble in a hospital over placenta. But those who have no attachment to the placenta are not bothered,” he said.

He, however, said that, “In medical practice, anything that you bring out of a patient must be shown to the patient.”

source: Punch