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Is umbilical cord milking always an advantage?
Hasan Kilicdag1, Hande Gulcan2, Deniz Hanta3
1a Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics , Acıbadem Hospital , Adana , Turkey .
Summary
Umbilical cord milking in preterm infants resulted in lower absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) and a higher frequency of neutropenia compared to immediate cord clamping. Further research is needed to understand the clinical implications of these findings.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatric Hematology
Background:
- Delayed cord clamping is a common practice in neonatal care.
- Umbilical cord milking (UCM) is being explored as an alternative to delayed cord clamping.
- The impact of UCM on neonatal immune parameters requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of umbilical cord milking on absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) in preterm infants.
- To determine the frequency of neutropenia in preterm infants following umbilical cord milking.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving 58 pregnant women and 54 preterm infants (gestational age ≤ 32 weeks).
- Infants were assigned to either immediate cord clamping (control group, n=25) or umbilical cord milking (UCM group, n=29).
Main Results:
- Absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) were significantly lower in the UCM group compared to the control group on days 1, 3, and 7 postpartum.
- The incidence of neutropenia was higher in preterm infants who underwent umbilical cord milking.
Conclusions:
- Umbilical cord milking is associated with lower ANCs and increased neutropenia frequency in preterm infants.
- The findings suggest that UCM influences the neutrophil kinetics in preterm neonates.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the clinical significance of these hematological changes.