| ■ Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping Better for Babies: Expert | 2007.08.18 |
| Doctors and midwives should delay clamping the umbilical cord for three minutes after birth to reduce the risk of anemia in newborns, says an article in the British Medical Journal. Dr. Andrew Weeks, an obstetrics lecturer at Liverpool University in the U.K., said delayed clamping of the umbilical cord sends oxygen-rich blood to the newborn's lungs until breathing is fully established, and increases iron levels, Agence France-Presse reported. Delayed clamping would especially benefit premature babies and babies delivered by Caesarean section, Weeks said. He noted that there is considerable evidence that early cord clamping doesn't benefit mothers or babies, AFP reported. "Both the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics have dropped (early clamping) from their guidelines," Weeks said. "It is time for others to follow their lead and find practical ways of incorporating delayed cord clamping into delivery routines." |