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The Effect of Delayed Cord Clamping on Moderate and Early Late-Preterm Infants
Arpitha Chiruvolu1, Huanying Qin2, Elizabeth T Nguyen3
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor University Medical Center, Pediatrix Medical Group, Dallas, Texas.
Objective:
This study aims to evaluate the clinical consequences of protocol-driven delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC) implementation in moderate and early late-preterm (MELP) infants born between 320/7 and 346/7 weeks gestation.
Study Design:
We conducted a prospective cohort study with a historic control cohort comparison. The prospective study period was 1 year when DCC was performed for 60 seconds duration (DCC cohort, n = 106). The study period for historic control cohort with no DCC was also 1 year before DCC implementation (historic cohort, n = 137).
Results:
The mean hematocrit at birth was significantly higher in the DCC cohort compared with the historic cohort (49.1 ± 14.9 vs. 45.7 ± 15.7; p = 0.01). Fewer infants in the DCC cohort were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on respiratory support compared with the historic cohort (17.9 vs. 29.9%; p = 0.04). The incidence of respiratory distress syndrome was significantly lower in the DCC cohort compared with the historic cohort (2.8 vs. 14.6%; p = 0.002). There were no differences in the incidence of phototherapy or NICU length of stay (LOS) between groups.
Conclusion:
In MELP infants, DCC was associated with increased hematocrit and better respiratory transition at birth. DCC was not associated with increased phototherapy or NICU LOS.
