Delayed Cord Clamping Benefits Pre-term Infants

[Angel]

Delaying umbilical cord clamping by just a few seconds could help prevent health problems in pre-term infants.

A new study shows the short wait in babies born before 32 weeks protects them from infections and from bleeding in the brain. Judith Mercer, a professor of nursing and certified nurse-midwife at the University of Rhode Island in Providence, conducted the federally funded trial.

"These findings are very important because in most U.S. hospitals umbilical cords are clamped immediately," says Mercer. "This is an easy, no-cost procedure that increases the amount of blood the baby receives at birth. This blood gives the baby more red blood cells to carry oxygen and has high concentrations of beneficial stem cells."

During the study, babies had their umbilical cords clamped either between 5 seconds and 10 seconds of birth or at 30 seconds to 45 seconds after birth. Mercer found infants in the delayed cord-clamping group had significantly lower rates of bleeding in the brain and blood infections, which occur more than 72 hours after birth and can cause developmental delays and conditions such as cerebral palsy.

The research found delayed cord clamping had the greatest effect on boys. Pre-term boys are most at risk of death and disability than any other children.

The loss of blood volume at birth and a compromised immune system caused by the loss of protective stem cells may be the reasons for brain hemorrhage and infections. Mercer explains, "We think babies with delayed clamping have increased blood flow from the cord which helps to stabilize the cardiovascular system and results in less bleeding in the brain."

Next, she hopes to study the effects of delayed cord clamping in full-term infants.