Postpartum Women's Perspectives on the Donation of Placentas for Scientific Research in Campinas, Brazil.
Little is known about public perspectives of scientific and therapeutic uses of placentas. Gaps in knowledge potentiate ethical and clinical problems regarding collection and applications. As such, this study sought to assess the perspectives of placenta donation of a sample of women. Postpartum women's perspectives on placental donation were assessed at the State University of Campinas in the Centro de Atençäo Integral a Saúde da Mulher (CAISM) maternity hospital using a cross-sectional survey (n = 384) and semi-structured interviews (n = 12). Surveys were analyzed quantitatively and interviews were analyzed qualitatively using grounded coding; results were compared. The average age of respondents was 27. Fifty-six percent had more than one child, 45% were Caucasian, 38% were mixed-race, 74% identified with a Christian faith, 52% had high school education or higher, 13% regarded the placenta as spiritually important, 72% felt that knowing what happens to the placenta after birth was somewhat or very important, 78% supported the use of the placenta in research and medicine, 59% reported that consent to collect the placenta was very or somewhat important, 78% preferred their doctor to invite donation, and only 7% preferred the researcher to invite donation. Interviews suggested women appreciate being part of research and that receiving information about studies was important to them. Informed by these results, we argue that women support scientific and therapeutic uses of placentas, want to be included in decision making, and desire information about the placenta. Placentas should not be viewed as "throwaway" organs that are poised for collection without the involvement and permission of women. Women want to be meaningfully included in research processes.
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada rebeccayoshizawa@gmail.com.
Rebecca Scott
RS
Yoshizawa
State University of Campinas, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Maria José Duarte
MJ
Osis
State University of Campinas, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Simony Lira
SL
Nascimento
State University of Campinas, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Silvana Ferreira
SF
Bento
State University of Campinas, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Ana Carolina
AC
Godoy
State University of Campinas, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Suelene
S
Coelho
State University of Campinas, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
José Guilherme
JG
Cecatti
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D035843:Biomedical Research; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010358:Patient Participation; D010920:Placenta; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D055815:Young Adult
Brazil; placental donation; pregnancy and informed consent; public perspectives; survey methodology