Challenging current practice: the evidence behind the timing of cord clamping

Immediate clamping of the umbilical cord is an intervention that has developed over the last century as birth moved into the hospital setting (Mercer 2001). Whilst active management in the third stage of labour is widely practised, midwives are encouraged to re-evaluate their management strategies during this stage, since immediate clamping of the umbilical cord interferes with the physiological process of normal childbirth and should be justified (Begley et al 2010; Gyte 1994). Exploration of the physiological and research based evidence would indicate that the practice of umbilical cord clamping at birth needs to be raised with the whole multi-disciplinary team in order to influence practice (Anderson 2005; ICM 2003).