Coleen Rooney excitedly revealed this week she would be eating her own placenta after giving birth to her fourth child in the new year.
But not everyone has been supportive of the pregnant star’s decision to have her placenta made into pills.
Some outlets have dug up quotes from a gynaecologist branding the trend bordering on “cannibalism” with few medical benefits.
According to The Sun, Dr Alex Farr of the Medical University of Vienna recently spoke out about the trend of young celebrity mums tucking into their own placenta.
While he wasn’t speaking about Coleen in particular, it was still an interesting read.
Read more: Coleen Rooney fuels rumours she’s expecting twins
He explained: “Medically speaking, the placenta is a waste product. Most mammals eat the placenta after birth, but we can only guess why they do so.
“As the placenta is genetically part of the newborn, eating the placenta borders on cannibalism.”
Dr Farr also revealed he had seen no evidence of healthy medical benefits from eating the placenta either.
Fans, meanwhile, also had a mixed reaction to Coleen’s big news, with some admitting they were a tad put off by the idea.
Others, however, gave the idea a thumbs up – and wished Coleen all the best with her pregnancy.
The mum of three took to social media on Monday to reveal she’s planning to eat her own placenta after giving birth next year.
Coleen posted a photo showing she’d been sent a placenta encapsulation kit, tweeting: “Thank you so much for my gorgeous surprise box. Exciting!”
Some eagle-eyed fans were quick to point out the box was pink, wondering if that was a sign Coleen was expecting a much-longed for daughter.
One wrote: “Your box is pink does this mean you’re having a girl!?”
Another said: “Hope it’s a girl.”
However, the star added a pink heart emoji and a blue heart emoji to her tweet, suggesting she’s yet to discover the sex of her fourth child.
Placenta encapsulation is a process where new mums send their placenta off to a company, who convert the afterbirth into pills which the mother then eats.
It’s not the first time Coleen’s done it, either.
She revealed in 2016 that she’d tucked into third son Kit’s placenta following his birth, claiming the pills made her feel energetic.
In an interview with The Mirror, she said: “They had a slightly metallic taste and they definitely made me feel energised. I felt full of very positive energy and it helped with a number of pregnancy symptoms such as the produce of milk.
“I slept really well and they helped to stabilise my weight after having Kit.
“Everyone has a different reaction but in my case they were great.
Coleen has kept a low profile since husband Wayne’s arrest on September 1.
He was taken into police custody while driving a VW Beetle belonging to another woman, Laura Simpson, who was in the passenger seat next to him.
Read more: Strictly contestant issues warning to co-star
The Everton star, 31, pleaded guilty to a drink-driving charge and was handed a two-year driving ban and 100 hours of unpaid charity work as part of a 12-month community order.
He issued a statement apologising for his “unforgivable lack of judgment” in driving while over the legal limit.
Coleen has not publicly commented, preferring to stay out of the limelight and concentrate on her three sons – Kai, seven, Klay, four, and Kit, one, – and pregnancy.