Delayed cord clamping is defined by the World Health Organization as a clamping of the umbilical cord 1 to 3 minutes after birth. This practice has numerous health benefits, including increased iron stores, hemoglobin count and higher blood volume. This serves to prevent anemia in newborns and leads to better long term outcomes.

One of the primary risks of delayed cord clamping in cesarean sections is heat loss in the neonate. The inability of infants to regulate their own body heat is the reason why immediate cord clamping is considered standard care in cesarean sections, as a delay can lead to hypothermia and other negative outcomes. In vaginal deliveries, skin to skin contact is used to warm the child during delayed cord clamping, but in cesarean sections, this is impossible. Considering that 32% of births in the United States are cesarean sections, according to the Center for Disease Control, this poses a serious health issue for infants, especially considering that cesarean births are often for at risk infants, who need all the medical advantages they can get.

OTHER CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR THIS PROJECT:

  • Delayed cord clamping has numerous health benefits
    • 15.1% of children age 12-26 months have an iron deficiency
      • DCC lowers rates of anemia: 3.3% vs. 40.0% for immediate cord clamping in elective cesarean sections
      • Important to neural development and health
  • Newborns cannot regulate their own body heat
    • Heat loss due to conduction heat, convection, radiation and liquid evaporation
    • Cold leads to lack of oxygen, hypoglycemia and metabolic disorders
    • One study showed  hypothermia rates for DCC compared to controls were 27.0% vs. 11.9%