A Melbourne reproductive biologist has warned women against eating their own placenta, saying their is no evidence to suggest it has health benefits or is safe.

Australian women have been warned against eating their own placenta following the birth of a child.

There is no evidence to support claims that eating the placenta in any form reduces the risk of postpartum depression, boosts milk supply or that it replenishes vital nutrients, says researcher Bryony McNeill, a lecturer in Reproductive and Developmental Biology at Deakin University.

In fact the placenta may be a source of potentially harmful toxins and bacteria, she warns.

"During pregnancy, the placenta regulates the transfer of substances between mother and baby. As such, accumulation of potentially toxic substances can occur. To date, there have been only a few small studies examining the toxicity profile of placenta capsules," Ms McNeil writes in an editorial published by The Conversation.

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US issued a warning against the increasing trend in Western countries.

A case report published by the CDC showed the bacteria B Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) was identified as the cause of sepsis - blood poisoning - in a young infant born five days earlier in Oregon.

Investigations later revealed placenta capsules consumed by the newborn's mother tested positive for the bacteria.