How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn Lives
Interest in the subject of umbilical cord clamping is long-standing. New evidence reveals that placental transfusion, facilitated by delayed cord clamping (DCC), reduces death and need for blood transfusions for preterm infants without evidence of harm. Even a brief delay in clamping the cord shows...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/5/585 |
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| author | Judith Mercer Elisabeth Saether Tekoa King Holger Maul Holly Powell Kennedy Debra Erickson-Owens Ola Andersson Heike Rabe |
| author_facet | Judith Mercer Elisabeth Saether Tekoa King Holger Maul Holly Powell Kennedy Debra Erickson-Owens Ola Andersson Heike Rabe |
| author_sort | Judith Mercer |
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| description | Interest in the subject of umbilical cord clamping is long-standing. New evidence reveals that placental transfusion, facilitated by delayed cord clamping (DCC), reduces death and need for blood transfusions for preterm infants without evidence of harm. Even a brief delay in clamping the cord shows improved survival and well-being, but waiting at least two minutes is even better. We propose that three major benefits from DCC contribute to reduced mortality of preterm infants: (1) benefits from the components of blood; (2) assistance from the continued circulation of blood; and (3) the essential mechanical interactions that result from the enhanced volume of blood. The enhanced blood volume generates mechanical forces within the microcirculation that support the newborn’s metabolic and cardiovascular stability and secure short- and long-term organ health. Several unique processes prime preterm and term newborns to receive the full placental transfusion, not to be misinterpreted as extra blood or over-transfusion. Disrupting cord circulation before the newborn’s lung capillary bed has been fully recruited and the lungs can replace the placenta as a respiratory, gas-exchanging organ may be harmful. Early cord clamping also denies the newborn a full quota of iron-rich red blood cells as well as valuable stem cells for regeneration, repair, and seeding of a strong immune system. We propose that delayed cord clamping and intact-cord stabilization have the potential to save lives by protecting many neonates from hypovolemia, inflammation, and ischemia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b8345b3a2dc461ea98addeacbd76112 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b8345b3a2dc461ea98addeacbd761122025-08-20T03:14:39ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672025-04-0112558510.3390/children12050585How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn LivesJudith Mercer0Elisabeth Saether1Tekoa King2Holger Maul3Holly Powell Kennedy4Debra Erickson-Owens5Ola Andersson6Heike Rabe7College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USAMøre and Romsdal Hospital Trust, 6026 Ålesund, NorwaySchool of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USADepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Asklepios Kliniken Barmbek, Wandsbek and Nord-Heidberg, 22039 Hamburg, GermanySchool of Nursing, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USACollege of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USADepartment of Neonatology, Skåne University Hospital, 22185 Malmo/Lund, SwedenBrighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UKInterest in the subject of umbilical cord clamping is long-standing. New evidence reveals that placental transfusion, facilitated by delayed cord clamping (DCC), reduces death and need for blood transfusions for preterm infants without evidence of harm. Even a brief delay in clamping the cord shows improved survival and well-being, but waiting at least two minutes is even better. We propose that three major benefits from DCC contribute to reduced mortality of preterm infants: (1) benefits from the components of blood; (2) assistance from the continued circulation of blood; and (3) the essential mechanical interactions that result from the enhanced volume of blood. The enhanced blood volume generates mechanical forces within the microcirculation that support the newborn’s metabolic and cardiovascular stability and secure short- and long-term organ health. Several unique processes prime preterm and term newborns to receive the full placental transfusion, not to be misinterpreted as extra blood or over-transfusion. Disrupting cord circulation before the newborn’s lung capillary bed has been fully recruited and the lungs can replace the placenta as a respiratory, gas-exchanging organ may be harmful. Early cord clamping also denies the newborn a full quota of iron-rich red blood cells as well as valuable stem cells for regeneration, repair, and seeding of a strong immune system. We propose that delayed cord clamping and intact-cord stabilization have the potential to save lives by protecting many neonates from hypovolemia, inflammation, and ischemia.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/5/585blood volumecord clampinghypovolemiaischemiainflammationjaundice |
| spellingShingle | Judith Mercer Elisabeth Saether Tekoa King Holger Maul Holly Powell Kennedy Debra Erickson-Owens Ola Andersson Heike Rabe How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn Lives Children blood volume cord clamping hypovolemia ischemia inflammation jaundice |
| title | How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn Lives |
| title_full | How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn Lives |
| title_fullStr | How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn Lives |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn Lives |
| title_short | How Delayed Cord Clamping Saves Newborn Lives |
| title_sort | how delayed cord clamping saves newborn lives |
| topic | blood volume cord clamping hypovolemia ischemia inflammation jaundice |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/5/585 |
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