We inspect it to see if there are three vessels in the cord, to see that the membranes are intact and that there are two parts to it. We also look for extra lobes, how the cord is positioned, size and to see how healthy it is. We look for things like calcification (small hard white bits) haemorrage, texture eg; a placenta that is gritty as opposed to smooth. We also turn it right side in to make sure everything matches up and nothing has been left behind. Every placenta tells a story and, if the baby is sick or small or something is a little different, often the placenta will show something.

Having said that, most of the placentas are then discarded, some get taken home.
Alot of the ladies who take them home plant them with a tree, like Cailin's plans, other's eat them. i know a midwife who has a recipe for placenta pizza! Personally, couldn't do that but hey! Each to their own!

My first placenta weighed more than one of my twins! (it was actually two placentas that had merged) The midwife said it was the biggest placenta she had ever seen!