The trend for consuming the placenta in capsule form is becoming increasingly popular in the UK – as well as in France, Germany and the US – and has been hailed by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy.

Eating the placenta after birth offers no benefit to new mothers, a new study suggests.

Consumption of placenta, known as placentophagy, in the form of capsules has been found to have no effect on postpartum mood, maternal bonding and fatigue, while compared to placebo, claimed a research by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

As birth trends go, eating your placenta is up there as one of the most divisive (along with vaginal-seeding, of course).

A groundbreaking study by UNLV researchers shows that taking placenta capsules has little to no effect on postpartum mood, maternal bonding, or fatigue, when compared to a placebo.

A study has recently suggested that new mothers consuming placenta pills, following childbirth, will experience little to no effect on their post-partum mood, maternal bonding or fatigue.

Eating the placenta does not prevent postpartum depression, new research reveals.

Many animals eat their placenta after birth. Zoologists know this is to ward off predators, but when the "natural" birth movement took off in the 1960s, believers stated that if animals do it, it must be for a health reason and humans should also.