Question

Fun Fact # 5 : Did you know that there is a time limit for clamping the infant's umbilical cord after delivery?

Answer 1

In the mother's uterus, an infant is connected to the mother from the umbilical cord to the placenta. The placenta supplies both oxygen and nutrients to the baby through transfer of blood.

When an infant takes its first breath, physiologic changes occur that cause the placenta to transfer blood to the baby more than it does back to the mom. Approximately 75 percent of blood from the placenta is transfused in the first minute after birth.

Therefore In effect, if you delay clamping of the cord, the baby could receive too much blood which can lead to problems such as hyperbilirubinemia.

However, there may be one utility to delaying cord clamping. If an infant is born premature, delayed cord clamping has been associated with fewer transfusions for anemia or low blood pressure. and less brain hemorrhage. There was also no increase in risk for hyperbilirubinemia.

Traditionally, we clamp and cut the cord ASAP within a minute after birth.