The placenta is a temporary organ that forms during pregnancy, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the developing fetus while filtering waste. Once the baby is born, the placenta is delivered, and families often choose to keep it for various personal reasons, including ceremonial burial, creating keepsakes, or preparation for consumption through encapsulation. Proper storage is necessary to preserve the integrity of the tissue, whether for immediate or long-term preservation.
Immediate Post-Delivery Preparation
The first steps in handling the placenta are time-sensitive, as the tissue degrades quickly after birth. You must communicate your intent to keep the placenta to your healthcare team before delivery to ensure they do not send it to pathology or treat it with chemicals. A hospital typically requires signing a release form, confirming acceptance of responsibility for the organ and its safe handling.
Upon delivery, the placenta should be contained as soon as possible, ideally within 30 minutes to four hours. Place it into a clean, food-grade container with a secure, leak-proof lid or into two heavy-duty, gallon-sized zip-top bags. While some blood and fluid are normal, you may gently rinse the surface with cool water to remove large clots or debris before containment.
Cooling the placenta rapidly to slow bacterial growth is the most pressing concern; treat it similarly to raw meat. If immediate refrigeration is unavailable, place the contained placenta in a cooler packed with ice or frozen gel packs. Ensure the placenta is fully surrounded by ice, adding fresh ice as the original melts, and aim to transfer it to a refrigerator within 12 hours.
Short-Term Cold Storage Requirements
If the placenta is intended for processing, such as encapsulation, within a few days, it must be kept in cold storage to minimize bacterial proliferation. The maximum recommended duration is 72 to 96 hours (three to four days), after which the risk of spoilage becomes significantly higher. Any delay beyond this window necessitates immediate freezing to maintain safety.
The storage environment should be a refrigerator operating at or below 40°F (4°C), the standard temperature for food safety. Place the contained placenta in the coldest section, typically toward the back, and avoid storing it in the door where temperature fluctuations are common. The placenta must be kept separate from food items to prevent cross-contamination, even when securely sealed.
Proper labeling is important, clearly marking the container with your name, the date, and the time of the birth. This ensures the placenta is correctly identified, especially if processed by a specialist, and helps track the safety window. If the placenta cannot be processed within this time frame, it must be moved to a freezer.
Guidelines for Long-Term Freezing
When processing or use is delayed beyond the short-term refrigeration window, freezing is the method for long-term preservation. This technique is suitable for storing the placenta for extended periods, typically up to six months to a year, before the quality of the tissue may begin to degrade.
Preparation for freezing requires double-bagging the placenta in thick, freezer-safe, gallon-sized bags. Press as much air out of the bags as possible before sealing to reduce the risk of freezer burn, which damages the tissue. The sealed and labeled placenta should then be placed into a hard-sided, freezer-safe container to protect it from crushing and minimize contact with other freezer contents.
The freezer should maintain a consistent temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder, which is the standard for long-term frozen food storage. If the placenta needs to be thawed for processing later, it must be done slowly inside the refrigerator, allowing 24 to 48 hours for a complete thaw. Crucially, a thawed placenta should never be refrozen, as this significantly compromises the tissue’s quality and safety.
Maintaining Sanitation and Safety
Since the placenta contains blood and biological material, treat it with the same caution as handling raw meat to protect against potential pathogens. Anyone handling the placenta should wear protective gloves and ensure any cuts or abrasions on their hands are covered.
All surfaces and utensils that contact the placenta must be cleaned thoroughly afterward. A disinfectant solution, such as a 10% bleach mixture, is recommended for sanitizing non-porous surfaces to eliminate blood-borne pathogens. Avoid eating, drinking, or smoking in the area where the placenta is being handled or prepared.
There are specific circumstances when keeping the placenta for consumption is not recommended due to a higher risk of infection. If the mother had a confirmed infection during labor (such as chorioamnionitis), or if the placenta was exposed to preservatives like formalin at a pathology lab, it may be deemed unsafe for use. Good hygiene and clear communication with health providers are the best safeguards throughout the storage process.