Safe Disposal of the Placenta

The purpose of this guide is to offer explanation and advice on owning your placenta, bringing it home, and disposing of it in a safe manner.

North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has the responsibility for the safe handling and disposal of all human tissue, including placentae. However, occasionally patients may ask to discard of their own placenta and therefore, the placenta must be disposed of in the correct way.

What are the steps to take my placenta?

After discussing with your Midwife, a form will be given to you that must be signed. This is you accepting responsibility for the safe disposal of the placenta. A copy will be placed on your BadgerNet record and you will get a paper copy to take home.

The placenta will then be given to you unless you are admitted to hospital for a long period of time. If this is the case, you can give permission to a family member to take this home for you.

How do I keep my placenta?

You may be allowed to keep your placenta if the delivery (includingbefore and after birth) has been unaffected by infection.

If you are planning to take it home, you must discuss this with the Midwife, especially if you intend to take the placenta overseas.

If you have had an infection or are the carrier of a blood-borne virus, the placenta has to be kept by the hospital for safe disposal.

How do you safely transport and store the placenta?

The placenta must be placed in a small bag and then placed in a plastic sealed container or double bagged, ensuring it is protected securely.

If the placenta is to be taken home, this needs to be done as soon as possible after birth. It then needs to be stored in a cool place, as it will quickly deteriorate (go bad). Ideally, it should be stored in a fridge that does not contain any food or place it in a container then put it in an ice bath for no more than 48 hours prior to burial.

How do you safely dispose of the placenta?

The placenta should be buried within 48 to 72 hours (within 2 to 3 days). Before the burial, the placenta must be removed from the container first and then from the bag it is in. This should be buried deeply to prevent animals from digging it up and it should be on a private property or your garden. Do not dispose of the placenta in a public place i.e. a park or open field, as this is your household waste.

Make sure to place an identifying marker where you buried the placenta to prevent accidental exposure in the future.

To prevent infections or diseases, make sure to cover any cuts and wear protective gloves then, wash your hands after thoroughly.

What if I want to take my placenta overseas?

If you wish to take the placenta overseas for burial, it is your responsibility to tell the airline that you are carrying human tissue out of the country. The same safe disposal rules apply.

What if I wish to turn my placenta into consumable capsules?

You may want to take your placenta home for consumption. If this is the case, then you must ensure the company turning your placenta into capsules is a registered food business with an environmental health food rating. If you wish to take your placenta home for this reason, then you need to make sure that your Midwife is aware.

The company turning your placenta into capsules should provide you with a chiller pack and everything you need for the safe storage of the placenta. The same steps will be followed following delivery of your placenta.

Please note that the placenta must still be treated as human tissue if it is being used for this reason.

Contact Number

For further information or if you are seeking advice, please contact one of the following below:

University Hospital of North Tees

Delivery Suite
Telephone: 01642 382718
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Antenatal/Postnatal Ward
Telephone: 01642 382822
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Comments, concerns, compliments or complaints

Patient Experience Team (PET)

We are continually trying to improve the services we provide. We want to know what we’re doing well or if there’s anything which we can improve, that’s why the Patient Experience Team (PET) is here to help. Our Team is here to try to resolve your concerns. The office is based at the University Hospital of North Tees if you wish to discuss concerns in person. Our contact details are:

Telephone: 01642 624719
Freephone: 0800 092 0084
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:00pm
Email: [email protected]

Out of hours

Out of hours if you wish to speak to a senior member of Trust staff, please contact the hospital switchboard who will bleep the appropriate person.
Telephone: 01642 617617

Patient, Public and People with Lived Experience

We are looking for patients to share their experiences of healthcare and to join our Involvement Bank. Working with the patients, carers, families and the general population we support in making decisions about their care can lead to better health outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and a better overall experience. We want to listen and work with you in shaping the future of your healthcare services. To find out more about the Involvement Bank go to our website or contact us at:

Website: www.nth.nhs.uk/about/community/people-with-lived-experience
Email: [email protected]

Data protection and use of patient information

The Trust has developed Data Protection policies in accordance with Data Protection Legislation (UK General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018) and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. All of our staff respect these policies and confidentiality is adhered to at all times. If you require further information on how we process your information please see our Privacy Notices.

Telephone: 01642 383551

Email: [email protected]

Leaflet feedback

This leaflet has been produced in partnership with patients and carers. All patient leaflets are regularly reviewed, and any suggestions you have as to how it may be improved are extremely valuable. Please write to the Clinical Governance team at:

Email: [email protected]