.png)
As the situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve, Dulcie Lane together with my training organisation Association of Placenta Preparation Arts (APPA) are carefully monitoring the potential impacts of the virus/pandemic. The content contained on this page reflects Dulcie Lane and APPA’s position and current guidance as things stand today. As the pandemic, its effects, and available information changes, so will our response and the information we share here.
COVID 19 & PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION
PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION
As an essential service...
Placenta preparation services are an essential service. For many this service can be the difference between life and death, a joyful transition or one of discontent and struggle. You might find yourself and others discrediting the value of our services with so much going on in the world. Nothing could be less true. Our services are needed now more than ever due to worldwide increased stress, birth trauma resulting from hospital policy changes, and social distancing requirements that can have major mental health impacts. These impacts are magnified when physical recovery from a major life event and a newborn is added into the mix.
DULCIE LANE
COVID 19 Policy
Dulcie Lane has made some changes to how I prepare placentas and render my services.
This is to ensure the continued safety for you, me, my family and future clients.
Dulcie Lanes practices within strict, board reviewed, safety and sanitation guidelines, including a client health questionnaire and review based on the Association of Placenta Preparation Arts (APPA) training program. The APPA training program provides meticulous education in all aspects of safety and sanitation when preparing placentas. APPA equips their students with knowledge and best practices to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of blood borne pathogens (BBP) through rigorous training in safe preparation and sanitation techniques. To view certifications in this area, go HERE.
The placenta can hold a high concentration of antigens during an active COVID 19 positive infection. The risk is low for reinfection as the temperatures used during placenta steaming and dehydrating are high enough to kill COVID 19. That said, as an encompassing "rule", signs and symptoms of ANY infection is a contraindication to encapsulation, COVID 19 included. To that, Dulcie Lane and APPA believe it is always the clients right to informed consent.
It should be noted that as an organization APPA does not condone preparing placentas with any signs or symptoms of infection, known or unknown, however APPA supports the clients right to informed consent and choice.
As no one person can constantly know their COVID 19 infection status, whether they are positive or negative, especially at the time of birth, Dulcie Lane has created a waiver for the client to sign, to ensure the client understands fully the risks involved when consuming their encapsulated placenta capsules and placenta preparations. The potential and risk is low, but must accept that upon receiving the pills, Dulcie Lane Placenta Encapsulation is no longer liable, including but not limited to whether the client is COVID 19 positive or negative at the time of placenta preparation.
Dulcie Lane has prepared placentas where the client did not know they had a positive COVID status, as they were asymptomatic at the time of labour and delivery and did not test positive on a Rapid Antigen Test until they returned home. By this stage, Dulcie Lane had prepared the placenta and capsules of a COVID 19 positive placenta.
FAQS
CAN I STILL ENCAPSULATE MY PLACENTA IF I AM COVID POSITIVE AT THE TIME OF BIRTH?
In general, I do not process placentas when a known infection is present at birth. Placentas from families with a known infection at the time of birth will not be processed. To that, it is unlikely a placenta in this scenario would be released from pathology. This guidance is for you and our safety. A refund will be provided less $150 for my consultation time if you contract COVID and I cannot process your placenta.
WHAT METHOD OF PLACENTA PREPARATION CAN I USE?
Because the Raw Start Method utilizes heat and air flow, there is potential for the virus to become aerosolized and airborne prior to reaching an adequate kill temp. For this reason, the Traditional Method is recommended during this time. During the steaming process the placenta heats well beyond the virus kill temp prior to entering the dehydration process. This eliminates the potential for the virus to become aerosolized and airborne. If you have chosen the Raw Method upon booking, and have contracted COVID 19 at anytime during your pregnancy or birth, then your chosen method will be changed to Traditional automatically.
WHAT IF I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS EXPOSED TO COVID/WAS ASYMPTOMATIC OR COVID POSITIVE AT THE TIME OF BIRTH?
COVID 19 does seem to be somewhat fragile. Most basic disinfectants will kill the virus. Additionally, it has a kill temp of 56 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes, my processing protocols far exceed that temperature so even if it was in placenta tissue the process would destroy it. This means that, with all the unknowns, we can be reassured that the heat from proper processes will kill the virus in placentas with an unknown status.
HOW DO YOU ENSURE THE SAFETY BETWEEN EACH PLACENTA?
My practices strictly uphold industry sanitation protocols and universal precautions. Everything is disinfected and sanitised with bleach at a ratio that kills blood borne pathogens. I use Sodium Hypochlorite 12.5% to disinfect and sanitise all surfaces and equipment, and for equipment that can’t be submerged in a bleach bath. This bleach solution kills human coronavirus. I wear PPE in the form of N95 mask, gloves, apron, eye goggles and shoe covers, as well as cover all surfaces and workspace areas in disposable plastic and bluey pads. All items are heavily sanitised between each client, and disposable items are placed in the garbage.
I am trained in Blood Borne Pathogens for Professional Placenta Service Providers. Here I have learnt how to identify and prevent the potential transmission of bloodborne diseases. This training is designed to meet the requirements of OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard - 29CFR 1910.1030.
CONTACTLESS PICKUP FROM THE HOSPITAL
I will continue to collect outside the hospital, especially for late night collections. As with all pickups, I will arrange a time to meet your birth partner, support person/husband/wife, outside the hospital in the drop off area near the hospital main entrance. Here I will collect the provided cooler with your placenta in it from you for preparation.
