Patrick van Rheenen|L. de Moor|Sanne J. Eschbach|Hannah de Grooth|Bernard Brabin
Delayed cord clamping and haemoglobin levels in infancy: a randomised controlled trial in term babies
University Medical Center Groningen|University of Amsterdam|University of Amsterdam|Zambia Forestry College|Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine|Emma Kinderziekenhuis|Alder Hey Children's Hospital|University of Liverpool
summary objectives study carried assess whether delaying umbilical cord clamping effective improving haematological status term infants living malariaendemic area whether associated complications infants mothers methods randomly assigned women delivering term babies mpongwe mission hospital zambia delayed cord clamping dcc n 46 immediate cord clamping controls n 45 followed infants bimonthly basis age 6 months compared haemoglobin hb change cord values proportion anaemic infants secondary outcomes related infant maternal safety results throughout observation period infant hb levels groups declined rapidly controls dcc group difference hb change baseline 4 months 11 gdl 95 confidence interval ci 02 21 6 months difference disappeared 00 gdl 95 ci 09 08 odds ratio iron deficiency anaemia dcc group 4 months 03 95 ci 01 10 differences found groups 6 months adverse events seen infants mothers conclusion findings indicate dcc could help improve haematological status term infants living malariaendemic region 4 months age however beneficial haematological effect disappeared 6 months simple free safe delivery procedure might offer strategy reduce early infant anaemia risk interventions yet feasible