Warning over early umbilical cord clamping

New-born babies may benefit from later clamping

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Friday, 17, Aug 2007 11:08

Babies would benefit from umbilical cords being cut at a later stage, a senior UK doctor has claimed.

Early clamping after birth is widely conducted, but recent studies have suggested this could be harmful to the baby.

Dr Andrew Weeks, a senior lecturer in obstetrics at the University of Liverpool, recommends in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that clamping is delayed for three minutes after birth.

No ill effects are suffered by the mother from early clamping, but Dr Weeks believes babies could benefit from it being conducted a few minutes later due to the transferral of significant nutrients through the cord to the baby.

During birth the umbilical cord sends oxygen-rich blood to the baby's lungs until breathing establishes.

For babies born at full-term the effect of this transfusion is to increase their iron status, especially benefiting babies born in areas where anaemia is endemic.

Concern had been raised that in the developed world the transfusion could lead to high levels of red blood cells and bile pigments in the bloodstream, often causing jaundice.

But Dr Weeks argues that trials have shown this is not the case.

Babies born prematurely could benefit the most from later clamping, he maintains, as it has been associated with reductions in anaemia, bleeding in the brain and the need for transfusion.

"Both the World Health Organisation and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics have dropped the practice from their guidelines," Dr Weeks concludes.

"It is time for others to follow their lead and find practical ways of incorporating delayed cord clamping into delivery routines. In these days of advanced technology, it is surely not beyond us to find a way of keeping the cord intact during the first minute of neonatal resuscitation."