Timing of Umbilical Cord Clamping and Cord Milking and Preterm Infant Outcomes

Deferred cord clamping, also referred to as delayed cord clamping, has been identified as an intervention to reduce mortality before discharge in preterm infants. This practice has been associated with several benefits for neonates. In this short review, we summarize two research studies on the effects of cord clamp timing. In the first study, deferred cord clamping compared to immediate cord clamping reduced mortality before discharge among preterm infants. In the second study, deferred cord clamping reduced mortality before discharge in preterm infants across multiple population groups. Deferred cord clamping compared with immediate cord clamping led to a moderate reduction in mortality before discharge. The results of these studies provide further evidence that deferred cord clamping is beneficial for preterm infants.