Umbilical cord clamping after birth

doi:10.1136/bmj.39282.440787.80

BMJ 2007;335:312-313 (18 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.39282.440787.80

Editorials

Umbilical cord clamping after birth

Better not to rush

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Early clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord is widely practisedas part of the management of labour, but recent studies suggestthat it may be harmful to the baby. So should we now delay theclamping?

Early clamping of the cord was one of the first routine medicalinterventions in labour. Its place in modern births was guaranteedby its incorporation into the triad of interventions that makeup the active management of the third stage of labour. The earliestreferences are clear about the other two components of activemanagement—oxytocin to contract the uterus and preventpostpartum haemorrhage, and controlled cord traction to preventretention of the placenta.¹ But early cord clamping had no specificrationale, and it probably entered the protocol by default becauseit was already part of standard practice. When this packagewas shown to reduce postpartum haemorrhage in the 1980s earlycord clamping became . . . [Full text of this article]

Andrew Weeks, senior lecturer in obstetrics

School of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L8 7SS

aweeks@liv.ac.uk

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Article

A practical approach to timing cord clamping in resource poor settings: Patrick F van Rheenen and Bernard J Brabin
BMJ 2006 333: 954-958. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

Collard, K. J. (2009). Iron Homeostasis in the Neonate. Pediatrics 123: 1208-1216 [Abstract] [Full text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Cord management for nuchal cord: Soo Downe, et al.
bmj.com, 17 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Early clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord: louise sandler
bmj.com, 18 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Cord clamping can cause a lapse in respiration, and brain damage: Eileen Nicole Simon, PhD, RN
bmj.com, 18 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Umbilical cord claming ending in intestinal obstruction: Wajdi M Q Amayreh, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Aug 2007 [Full text]
How immediate cord clamping causes intraventicular haemorrhage: David JR Hutchon, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Resuscitation with the cord intact: David JR Hutchon, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Aug 2007 [Full text]
What if there is a high HIV or Hepatitis B prevalence: Douwe A.A. Verkuyl, et al.
bmj.com, 23 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Evidence not conclusive: Diane Farrar, et al.
bmj.com, 23 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Caution with delayed clamping of the umbilical cord: Nisar A Mir
bmj.com, 25 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Evidence-based and quality third stage practices: Jose Luis Diaz-Rossello, et al.
bmj.com, 25 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Evidence conclusive enough: David JR Hutchon
bmj.com, 27 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Document timing of cord clamping: David JR Hutchon
bmj.com, 30 Aug 2007 [Full text]
Umbilical Cord Clamping: Try Physiology - Let the baby do it!: George M. Morley, MB ChB FACOG
bmj.com, 1 Sep 2007 [Full text]
Ancient routines despite modern medical science: Linda Morge
bmj.com, 3 Sep 2007 [Full text]
Birth Without Violence: Linda Morge, et al.
bmj.com, 4 Sep 2007 [Full text]
Paediatricians and Obstetricians views: David J R Hutchon
bmj.com, 7 Jan 2008 [Full text]
References for paediatricans and obstetricians view: David JR Hutchon
bmj.com, 8 Jan 2008 [Full text]