The Law of Placenta

Of the forms of reproductive labor in which legal scholars have been interested, placenta, the organ developed during pregnancy, has been overlooked. As placenta becomes an object of value for a growing number of individuals, researchers, clinicians, biobanks, and biotech companies, among others, its cultural meaning is changing. At the same time, these various constituencies may be at odds. Some postpartum parents and their families want to repossess their placenta for personal use, while third parties use placentas for a variety of research, medical, and commercial purposes.