Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 28, 2025
Isolation and Characterization of Human Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Preterm and Term Infants
Published on: January 26, 2019
Effects of Umbilical Cord Milking on Term Infants Delivered by Cesarean Section
Arpitha Chiruvolu1, Alexis Medders2, Yahya Daoud3
1Department of Women and Infants, Baylor Scott and White Medical Center McKinney, Pediatrix Medical Group of Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
Objective:
Umbilical cord milking (UCM) is an efficient way to achieve optimal placental transfusion in term infants born by cesarean section (CS). However, it is not frequently performed due to concern for short-term adverse effects of increased blood volume, such as polycythemia and hyperbilirubinemia. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term effects of UCM on term infants delivered by CS.
Study Design:
We conducted a pre- and postimplementation cohort study comparing term infants delivered by CS who received UCM five times (141 infants, UCM group) during a 6-month period (August 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018) to those who received immediate cord clamping (ICC) during the same time period (105 infants, postimplementation ICC) and during a 3-month period (October1, 2016 to December 31, 2016) prior to the implementation of UCM (141 infants, preimplementation ICC).
Results:
Mothers were older in UCM group compared with both ICC groups. There were no significant differences in other maternal or neonatal characteristics. Although this study was not powered to detect differences in outcomes, the occurrence of hyperbilirubinemia needing phototherapy, symptomatic polycythemia, NICU admissions, or readmissions for phototherapy was similar between the groups.
Conclusion:
UCM intervention was not associated with increased incidence of phototherapy or symptomatic polycythemia in term infants delivered by CS.
