International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Maternal and newborn health researchers have recommended delaying the clamping of the umbilical cord after birth.

A study conducted by Swedish researchers and published on BMJ.com found waiting at least three minutes before undertaking the procedure can protect kids against iron deficiency during infancy.

The authors of the investigation noted there are fears not clamping the cord quickly can lead to serious health problems including neonatal jaundice, but the scientists insisted this link is not valid.

Indeed, among the 400 full-term infants assessed in the study, no adverse outcomes were seen in babies whose umbilical cords were clamped after at least three minutes, but there were fewer cases of iron deficiency at four months.

Neonatal anaemia is linked to problems with neurodevelopment and is a major problem in infants across the world, with World Health Organization statistics from 1993 to 2005 showing around 47.4 per cent of pre-school children around the world had an iron deficiency.

Consultant paediatrician at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands Dr Patrick van Rheenen wrote an editorial on the study, stating: "How much more evidence is needed to convince obstetricians and midwives that it is worthwhile to wait for three minutes to allow for placental transfusion, even in developed countries?"

Posted by Alexandra George