The Oceania region places placenta in great importance as the nations in Oceania have many aborigines there. In New Zealand, the Māori word for placenta, whenua, also means land. The ancient practice of burying the placenta, whenua ki te whenua, reflects the Māori philosophical view that the placenta, like the land, provides physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual nourishment and furnishes all the needs of humanity.

Placentas are traditionally buried in the tribal lands of the baby, as a symbol of them taking their place within the collective identity of the tribal nation. Some Māori dislocated from their tribal territories are making their way back to re-affirm their familial connections in old homesteads and sacred places. Some plant a tree on top to mark the spot. Others bury them in a quiet corner in their urban garden, or bury them in a potted plant where they disintegrate into the soil. These rites are a simple but important re-assertion of cultural identity.

Some aboriginal tribes bury the placenta under an ant pit for the green ants. Many believe that when the green ants eat the placenta no more babies will come or at least not for a while.

In Samoa, the placenta must be totally burned or buried so it will not be found by evil spirits. Burying or burning it at home also ensures the child will remain close to home as it moves through life. If buried under a fruit tree, the placenta provides nutrition for the tree that in turn will provide years of nutrition for the child.

When we talk about placenta availability in the Middle-East region, there will definitely be the question if placenta is halal or not. This debate is ongoing and each has their own opinion. However, some brands have the approval from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ).

Nevertheless, placenta has already penetrated into the Middle-East market. In fact, there is a strong demand for marine placenta, especially salmon placenta which is produced from Japan. And in terms of application, placenta soap is made available in Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia to name a few.

The placenta is a powerful signifier in many cultures, including the Middle-East and Central Asia. Atai and Mongol Turks considered placenta sacred, a container for spirit. The placenta is associated with Goddess Umai, who helped women in infertility problems, and buried in the nomadic home.

In Turkey, placenta is regarded as a friend or comrade of the child, and in their old practices, placenta used to be wrapped up and buried in a clean place in a clean piece of cloth after birth.

Ancient Egyptians believed that placenta was part of the duality of the souls. One soul inhibited the body and another was the placenta. In royal processions, a high-ranking official would carry a standard representing the placenta. This standard, or symbol, is depicted as an organ with two lobes, an umbilical cord, and membranes folded back. And some tombs were even built to house the royal placentas of the pharaohs.