A new study is finding that delayed cord clamping is saving the lives of babies. There are always so many things to consider when it comes to birthing a baby and their health. As time goes on, more and more studies are done that show why things should be done and why they are so beneficial. This gives moms to be the latest scientific information when it comes to the best possible healthcare for their new baby, or it at least gives them something to think about. In the past, when a baby was born, the dad would get to cut the umbilical cord right away, but science is showing that this is changing, and for good reason.
According to Medical Xpress, a new study has shown that delaying the clamping of the umbilical cord can save a baby’s life, and that is always worth paying attention to. The study was done by the University of Sydney and it can be read in full here.
This study was a two-year follow-up of a previous study that was the largest clinical trial that was done on delayed cord clamping on babies who were born before 30 weeks gestation. It was done in 25 different hospitals in 7 countries.
This new study compared the outcomes for over 1500 babies who were involved in the original study. They had 767 who had a 60-second delay in cord clamping and 764 who had a 10-second delay of cord clamping. They found that those who waited closer to a minute had a 17% lesser chance of death and major disability in childhood. They also had a 30% reduction in mortality before they were 2 years old. They also found that 15% of the infants who had delayed cord clamping needed blood transfusions following birth.
Professor William Tarnow-Mordi was the lead author and he said that it is not common to find an intervention that has such a large impact that is free and requires nothing more than a watch to count the minutes. This is something simple that all families can do, for babies born preterm and full-term that could have amazing benefits. This study can go a long way to encouraging healthcare providers to speak to their patients about delayed cord clamping and to recommend it strongly for mothers of babies who may be at risk of being born preterm.
Sources: Medical Xpress, Lancet
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