Delayed Cord Clamping

Specialties NICU

Published

Any facilities out there that use the delayed cord clamping method in their L&D unit? Just wondering how the NICU team feels about this and if it impedes care during resuscitation?

Specializes in OB.

From the perspective of a Certified Nurse Midwife, who routinely does delayed cord clamping (as is recommended in the NRP guidelines), I can say that it is a highly healthy, easy way to promote adequate oxygenation, particularly in a baby that is having a bit of difficulty transitioning to extrauterine life. Now, in an infant who is not responding in any way in the first few seconds, I clamp, cut, and pass off to the warmer, but that is rare. Most times, if the baby only needs some extra stimulation, or even some blow by or brief ambu, those things can be done on the mom's bed, with the cord intact and continuing to allow oxygenated blood to flow.

Any facilities out there that use the delayed cord clamping method in their L&D unit? Just wondering how the NICU team feels about this and if it impedes care during resuscitation?

Resuscitation? No issues have come up in that regard, there is ways to assess risk/benefit of delayed cord clamping when baby is born.

The issue we are seeing more now that they are doing delayed clamping with all deliveries is increased hemoglobin and therefore off the chart instances of increased bili levels and the need for longer, more intensive phototherapy.

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