What are donated placentas used for anyway?
09/21/2023Give birth, give hope
Did you know that expectant mothers with a scheduled C-section can donate their placenta after giving birth? The donated placenta can become a priceless gift with the potential to aid in the healing of wounds and various surgical procedures.
Placentas are composed of cells and materials that stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism, reducing pain and inflammation to speed up the healing process. Learn more about the most common uses below:
Injuries
After it is developed into life-changing therapeutic products, a donated placenta has the potential to help heal injuries like:
- Burns
- Sport injuries
- Painful, non-healing wounds like diabetic foot ulcers
- Other wounds
Procedures
Donated placentas are also often used to assist in a variety of surgical procedures, including:
- Dental procedures like gum grafts
- Orthopedic procedures like nerve wrap repair and ligament repair
- Reconstructive procedures like breast reconstruction for breast cancer patients, hernia repair and colon resection repair
- Spinal procedures to alleviate pain from scar tissue
Helping others
“I want my girls to know that there are still good people in the world who are willing to help if they can,”, says Tiffany Nelson, mother and placenta donor.
During Tiffany’s pregnancy with her second daughter, her boss and family friend were suffering from a chronic wound. When she heard about the benefits of placenta donation, specifically about its potential to heal wounds, she immediately wanted to help.
“If you have the chance, donate. Otherwise, the placenta gets thrown away unless you have other plans,” she says.
Hope delivered
Placenta donation has the potential to bring healing alongside a new life. It truly is “hope delivered”.
Click here to learn more about birth tissue and placenta donation.