Can I take my placenta home from the hospital?

Some families wish to take the baby’s placenta home to bury it. Others would like to take the placenta home for consumption.
In most cases it is fine to take your placenta home for burial or consumption as long as you follow the basic health and safety precautions that are explained below.
While the risk of getting an infection from a healthy
placenta is not high, standard hygiene precautions
should always be followed. For example you should
handle the placenta as little as possible. When you
are handling the placenta:
»- cover any cuts or abrasions you may have
»- wear protective gloves
»- wash your hands thoroughly afterwards
»- avoid eating or smoking around the placenta.
»» The placenta will need to be buried deep enough
(no less than one metre) to prevent it:
»- being scavenged by animals
»- becoming a potential source of infection
to humans