Umbilical Cord Clamping SHould Be Delayed, Say Experts
22/11/2011
An Audit conducted in 2007 found many hospitals advocated early clamping as soon as the baby is delivered. However, authors of the new report have found that delaying cord clamping reduces the risk that the baby will have iron deficiency anaemia without substantial side effects. The significance of this type of anaemia is that the baby's brain development may be detrimentally affected as a result.
The new research has found that waiting three minutes before clamping the umbilical cord at birth can boost newborn's blood volume by a third.
Babies with delayed clamping had better iron levels at four months of age and were far less likely to suffer newborn anaemia. And there were no obvious adverse health effects, despite previous concerns raised by researchers about the possibility that delayed clamping could make the baby jaundiced.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) have called for more research into this area: "Iron deficiency in the first few months of life is associated with neuro-developmental delay, which may be irreversible. Whether increasing placental transfusion by deferring cord clamping will improve neurodevelopment in early childhood is not known but this hypotheses should be tested in large randomed trials."
"At PotterRees Serious Injury Solicitors LLP, we specialise in dealing with acquired brain injuries as a result of clinical negligence and this new research firmly points towards another important area for consideration", commented Helen Dolan, Partner and Head of the Clinical Negligence team at PotterRees. "This research stands alone as pointing towards the requirement for national review and further research. However, it may also have significance when considered in the context of some of the rare, but tragic life altering conditions associated with negligent care in child birth such as cerebral palsy".
Original source of information: http://bbc.co.uk/news/health-15736550
