Dr. Alexander Kofinas
THE PLACENTA PLAYS THE SINGLE MOST VITAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTHY FETUS.
My approach to placental health
The placenta is the most neglected, yet the most critical, reproductive organ in the female body. It seems like it’s become a buzzword, with celebrities hyping the healing powers of the placenta through their smoothies and creams. But only about 1% of doctors pay meaningful attention to the placenta. It’s so much more than the “afterbirth.” Many women aren’t informed about its vital function in utero.So, what exactly is the placenta?
If the umbilical cord is the lifeline, the placenta is the life source for the developing fetus. It provides blood, nutrients, and antibodies for diseases, all while it also processes waste. If the placenta does not properly develop, it becomes the cause of almost every pregnancy complication that can occur. Implantation failure, results from failure of the placenta to form, the most extreme expression of placenta pathology causing infertility.Why aren’t we talking about it more?
It’s the question I asked early on as I studied obstetrics and gynecology.Despite the fact that the placenta is the source of life, I discovered that there was hardly any medical information about it in obstetrical textbooks. The omission was unexplainable.
I was one of the first doctors to identify placenta blood clots, overlooked in most exams as “normal”. My discoveries and research formed the foundation for the methodologies I use today.
“I knew I was onto something big that could revolutionize the way we manage placenta health for the first time ever and [possibly] be able to prevent all major pregnancy complications.”
THE KOFINAS PROTOCOL
The Kofinas Protocol
Monitoring the placenta’s development in the very early stages of pregnancy has enabled me to detect, diagnose, and prevent common pregnancy complications.“While most women are told to visit their doctor after 12 weeks of pregnancy, The Kofinas Protocol requires placenta health monitoring as early as 5 weeks. This is why planning your pregnancy, and starting care before conception, is extremely important.”
By 18–22 weeks of pregnancy, most placental development has already occurred and any damage is irreparable. Because of this, proper pregnancy planning and treatment before and at the time of conception is a non-negotiable for me.
I’ve developed a way to diagnose and manage high-risk pregnancies and prevent pregnancy complications from intrauterine growth restriction, pre- eclampsia, PROM, and preterm delivery to fetal death in utero.
Kofinas Perinatal is the only practice in the New York City area devoted to such patients almost exclusively.
Quick Facts about the placenta.
- Exercise during the first trimester increases the size, blood flow and overall health of the placenta while also improving fetal brain development. It also leads to better memory and higher IQs in the children born to women who follow this practice.
- The placenta starts forming 6–7 days after conception and achieves maximum size at 24–26 weeks.
- The vascular foundation of the placenta is established in the first 12 to 14 weeks. Any damage at this time, will define the final size, quality, and health of the placenta. This in turn will have everlasting implications in the baby and how it grows into an adult.
What can I do to help make sure my placenta is healthy?
1
Planning
Plan your pregnancy, so you have time to restore nutritional balance and tune up your body with the goodies that your uterus needs to create a healthy placenta. Healthy body weight prior to conception is very important for a healthy placenta and a healthy baby.2
EATING HABITS
Eat organic, highly nutritious Mediterranean foods such asolive oil, low sodium olives, raw nuts, veggies, small (wild only) fish, legumes and a limited quantity of red meat (preferably only from grass-fed animals). Implement an intermittent fasting routine for at least 3 days a week before conception and revert to regular eating patterns when you are ready to conceive.
