Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Today's news


SALEM -- The Oregon Legislature has agreed that mothers who've just given birth should be able to take home their placentas.
"For cultural reasons and other reasons many families like to take home the placenta after the baby is born," said Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Beaverton.
The state Senate unanimously approved the bill, HB 2612, Monday, as the House did in March. The bill goes to Gov. John Kitzhaber. The governor's spokesman Tim Raphael says Kitzhaber anticipates signing the bill, but will review it first.
Under current state law, hospitals are prohibited from releasing hazardous medical waste, which includes human placentas. Oregon hospitals, however, have allowed mothers to take home their placentas for cultural and religious reasons.
Some mothers have their placentas put into capsules, which they consume in the belief it boosts their energy and staves off post-partum depression. Experts have said there is no scientific evidence of a health benefit.

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This little AP report is how I woke up this morning, thanks to Eric's alarm, but I thought the guy said "casseroles" instead of "capsules." Holy shit! That got me up, I tell you what. Obviously I had to Google this one, which is how I learned it was actually "capsules," but wow, is that any better, really? Probably less chewy. Except if you read the entire article, it also talks about lasagnas and tortilla soups. Oh, and making prints and holding burials, but that seems boring compared to the rest of it.

P.S. Oregon is weird and also kind of awesome. I'm glad I live here.

P.P.S. Oh, hey, what about cord blood? I thought that was more of a thing for like curing diseases, but whatever, I guess. 

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