Studies Show Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping Might be Key to Life Extension

Thousands of preterm babies could be saved by waiting just 60 seconds.

According to two new international studies coordinated by the National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, Sydney and supported physicians and parents worldwide, thousands of preterm babies’ lives could potentially be saved by waiting one minute before clamping the umbilical cord after delivery.

The studies were presented to more than 1,300 neonatal care professionals at the group’s 2017 Annual Quality Congress held recently in Chicago. The Vermont Oxford Network (VON) describes itself as a worldwide community of healthcare professionals “dedicated improving the quality and safety of medical care for newborn infants and their families through a coordinated program of research, education, and quality improvement.”

Led by the University of Sydney and approved for publishing in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the review assessed the morbidity and mortality outcomes from 18 trials, which compared delayed vs. immediate cord clamping.

The “Australian Placental Transfusion Study” enrolled 1,566 babies from 25 hospitals in seven countries who were born more than 10 weeks early. The authors reported a 6.4 % mortality rate in the delayed clamping group compared to 9 % in the immediate clamping group. The study, said VON, covered immediate cord clamping in nearly 3,000 babies born before 37 weeks gestation. The review reported also that delayed clamping reduced subsequent blood transfusions and increased neonatal hematocrit, “confirming that placental transfusion occurred,” said VON.

"The review shows for the first time that simply clamping the cord 60 seconds after birth improves survival," said the University of Sydney's Professor William Tarnow-Mordi, senior author. "It confirms international guidelines recommending delayed clamping in all preterm babies who do not need immediate resuscitation."

For every thousand highly preterm babies – those born more than ten weeks early—“delayed clamping will save up to 100 additional lives compared with immediate clamping," said the University of Sydney's Associate Professor David Osborn, the review's lead author and a neonatal specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. "This means that, worldwide, using delayed clamping instead of immediate clamping can be expected to save between 11,000 and 100,000 additional lives every year."

 

Guy Tiene

Guy supports the success of life science organizations by identifying synergies across research, content, marketing and communications resources to drive value for clients. With over 30 years of education and marketing experience and 18 years in the life sciences alone, Guy leads our editorial standards for client content, Pharma’s Almanac and Nice Insight research-based industry content as well as external communications for clients. Having served as head of global marketing and communications for a CMO, he also brings critical insight and guidance to all communications. Guy holds a Masters degree from Columbia University.

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