Delayed Cord Clamping and How It Helps - Shyami Sathiaseelan


When a mother on the verge of labor asks us for a last minute checklist of things to do the first thing I remind them of is delayed cord clamping.
What is Delayed Cord Clamping?
WHO states clamping the cord at least one minute after the birth as delayed cord clamping for all births. But the general belief by some practitioners is that we should wait for 3 to 5 minutes or wait till the cord stops pulsating. Some of them even think it is better not to clamp or cut the cord till the placenta is delivered. But all of them agree on one thing, that delaying the cord clamping to some extent is definitely beneficial to the baby.
So why delay the clamping?
We have seen that everyone agrees on waiting for somewhere between one minute and till the cord stops pulsating or even the placenta is delivered. But why delay? What are the advantages?
1. Decreased risk of Anemia. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, research shows that delaying cord clamping by 3 minutes can actually supply enough blood to prevent iron deficiency in a newborn for the first year of life. There is a remarked increase of 60% of RBCs and 30% of blood volume.
2. Increased Stem Cells. We constantly hear about how good stem cells are and for the need for banking them. The highest concentration of stem cells is in fetal blood than any other time in their life. Stem cells help in healing any damage that happened during a difficult birth and also help in long-term immunity and the development of cardiovascular, nervous and respiratory systems.
3. Increased social skills around the age of four, especially for boys. Research shows that boys more than girls seem to have an added advantage of having better social skills as they grow up into toddler years and slightly beyond with delayed cord clamping.
4.Better motor skills around the age of four. Delayed cord clamping helps in the development of the nervous system and it seems to help with better motor skills as babies grow up into toddlers and beyond as well.
5. Premature babies: While delayed cord clamping seems to help every single baby, it is especially helpful for premies. It helps babies to have better blood pressure immediately after birth and manage it with minimal or no medication and premies who go through this also need fewer blood transfusions.
All this sounds good, but what are the risks?
So far the only risk seems to be that in some cases babies seem to have a higher level of jaundice. But jaundice in newborns is common and the benefits sure outweigh the risks. As for maternal risks, there is no evidence of an increased risk of maternal blood loss more than immediate cord clamping.
Does it depend on what kind of labor the mother has?
No. Delayed cord clamping can be done even with C-sections. A lot of doctors that recognise the benefits are doing this now. Talk to your health professional about this.
What happens in case of emergencies?
In many cases, babies can be helped with the cord still on and it gives better outcomes too. Even 40 seconds of not clamping the cord can still help the baby in many ways. If the mother is bleeding heavily of there is a problem with the placenta though it is not advisable to have delayed cord clamping.
Finally, does it go into the birth plan?
Yes, please. Please remember to add this as one of the most important points in your birth plan.

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