placentophagy, n. — the act of mammals eating the placenta of their young after childbirth
What might inspire such a word of the day, you ask? A combination of the latest news from Wellesley College, and an e-mail conversation with one Mr. Ryan Williams, who assures me that he would never dump his wife’s placenta in the nearest pond — he’s planning on cooking it up for dinner. (Long ago I promised him that if he was around when I gave birth, he could have the placenta for just this very purpose.)
While it might not look appetizing, according to the wikipedia article it’s quite natural amongst most mammals. In addition, there’s a possibility that it may prevent post-partum depression and reduce post-labor pains — not to mention that it apparently tastes like veal. Sounds like a good deal to me!