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Umbilical cord clamping in preterm infants
1Consejo de Publicaciones y Biblioteca, Sociedad Argentina Pediatría.
Insights
Delayed umbilical cord clamping (2-3 minutes) significantly benefits preterm infants, reducing severe disorders. Early clamping (10-15 seconds) is linked to increased risks for these vulnerable newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Obstetrics
- Perinatal Care
Background:
- Increasing survival rates of preterm infants necessitate focused care on those born before 28 weeks gestation.
- Umbilical cord clamping timing impacts neonatal outcomes, with early clamping posing risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent evidence supporting delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC) in preterm infants.
- To compare the benefits of DCC versus early cord clamping (ECC).
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of recent scientific literature.
- Analysis of investigations on umbilical cord clamping timing and preterm infant outcomes.
Main Results:
- Delayed cord clamping (2-3 minutes) demonstrates considerable benefits for preterm infants.
- Evidence strongly supports DCC over ECC in neonatal care.
- DCC is associated with a reduced rate of severe disorders in preterm infants.
Conclusions:
- Delayed cord clamping is recommended for preterm infants based on robust scientific evidence.
- This practice improves neonatal outcomes and reduces the incidence of severe complications.
Abstract:
For several years now, the survival of preterm infants has been increasing, which has shifted our concern to preterm infants born before 28 weeks of gestation in particular. The timing of umbilical cord clamping may lead to several disorders, especially when done early (10-15 seconds). In the last two decades, several investigations have shown the considerable benefits of delayed cord clamping (2-3 minutes). Delayed cord clamping has been practiced in obstetrics and neonatal care based on the recommendations made by scientific societies and in systematic reviews, which have provided solid evidence to support this practice in preterm infants. This review describes the most relevant articles from the last years, which strongly support the use of delayed cord clamping versus early cord clamping. In addition, this practice reduces the rate of severe disorders in preterm infants.
