Chinese Hospital Dismisses Doctor Over Alleged Sale of Placenta
An obstetrician fired after being caught taking placentas from new mothers to sell online
A hospital in China's Guizhou province has dismissed an obstetrician after allegations emerged that he stole placentas from women after childbirth to sell them online.
The doctor's actions came to light when an anonymous individual filmed him taking a placenta from the delivery room in a biohazard bag and later concealing it in a black garbage bag.
The bystander questioned the hospital's protocols regarding the doctor's behavior, asking, "Did he not take the placenta left for disposal by the mother?
Is there no one to punish him?"
In response to the incident, the Rinehuaijiao Maternity Hospital confirmed to media outlets that the doctor had been terminated but did not disclose whether he had previously engaged in similar behavior.
The placenta, an organ developed during pregnancy that provides nutrients to the fetus via the umbilical cord, is typically expelled following childbirth.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the dried human placenta known as 'Ziheche' or 'purple river cart' is viewed as a highly nutritious substance, believed to aid in fatigue recovery, enhance vitality, and even address infertility.
It has been associated with legends asserting that consumption can confer longevity.
In modern times, some new mothers have also turned to consuming their placentas for perceived health benefits.
However, China prohibited the trade of human placentas in 2005. According to the Ministry of Health, only new mothers have the right to request their placentas from hospital staff; otherwise, hospitals are mandated to incinerate or bury them as medical waste.
Reports in 2021 indicated that human placentas could fetch as much as 2,400 yuan (approximately $340) per kilogram on the black market.
Despite the prohibition on the trade of human placentas, enforcement measures against violators have been lackluster, leaving a legal loophole for clandestine buyers and sellers.
The doctor's actions came to light when an anonymous individual filmed him taking a placenta from the delivery room in a biohazard bag and later concealing it in a black garbage bag.
The bystander questioned the hospital's protocols regarding the doctor's behavior, asking, "Did he not take the placenta left for disposal by the mother?
Is there no one to punish him?"
In response to the incident, the Rinehuaijiao Maternity Hospital confirmed to media outlets that the doctor had been terminated but did not disclose whether he had previously engaged in similar behavior.
The placenta, an organ developed during pregnancy that provides nutrients to the fetus via the umbilical cord, is typically expelled following childbirth.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the dried human placenta known as 'Ziheche' or 'purple river cart' is viewed as a highly nutritious substance, believed to aid in fatigue recovery, enhance vitality, and even address infertility.
It has been associated with legends asserting that consumption can confer longevity.
In modern times, some new mothers have also turned to consuming their placentas for perceived health benefits.
However, China prohibited the trade of human placentas in 2005. According to the Ministry of Health, only new mothers have the right to request their placentas from hospital staff; otherwise, hospitals are mandated to incinerate or bury them as medical waste.
Reports in 2021 indicated that human placentas could fetch as much as 2,400 yuan (approximately $340) per kilogram on the black market.
Despite the prohibition on the trade of human placentas, enforcement measures against violators have been lackluster, leaving a legal loophole for clandestine buyers and sellers.
