When Waiting to Clamp the Cord, You've Got to Know Where to Hold 'Em

Benefits of delayed cord clamping are still realized when newborns are placed on their mother's chest or abdomen.

Waiting 1 to 3 minutes after delivery to clamp the umbilical cord has been associated with improved neonatal hemoglobin levels, lower risk for iron-deficiency anemia, and, in preterm infants, lower risk for intraventricular hemorrhage. Most recommendations suggest that after vaginal birth the infant should be held at or below the level of the vagina to accrue these benefits, an unwieldy practice that may impede adherence. Investigators in Argentina conducted a randomized, noninferiority trial in 391 neonates to evaluate the effects on placental transfusion of placing the baby on the mother's chest or abdomen versus the level of the vagina.

The average increase in neonatal weight from immediately after birth to cord clamping 2 minutes later w…

Reviewing Author

Allison Bryant, MD, MPH

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Board of Directors)

Allison Bryant, MD, MPH

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Board of Directors)

When Waiting to Clamp the Cord, You've Got to Know Where to Hold 'Em

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Reviewing Author