Indian J Pediatr DOI 10.1007/s12098-014-1441-4
SCIENTIFIC LETTER
Effect of Delayed Cord Clamping on Hemoglobin Level of Newborns Manju Bala Dash & R. Murali
Received: 28 December 2013 / Accepted: 27 March 2014 # Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation 2014
To the Editor: Anemia is a common disorder. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia is highest among children and thus, its prevention during infancy is a priority. The first step to reduce anemia can be taken at the time of birth. Delayed cord clamping could be a cost-effective intervention to improve the iron status of infants by enhancing their red cell mass [1]. It allows time for the transfer of fetal blood in the placenta to the infant at the time of birth. “Placental transfusion” can provide the infant with an additional 30 % more blood volume and up to 60 % more red blood cells, the only oxygen-carrying component in the body. Both are lost with immediate cord clamping [2, 3]. A study was conducted among 61 term infants- 30 in Group I (cord clamped within 15 s of birth) and 31 in Group II (cord clamped at 3 min of birth or immediately after cessation of pulsation). Hemoglobin level was checked from cord blood and after 24 h by heel prick method. The mean hemoglobin level of subjects at birth was 17.15±1.56 and 19.97±1.51 in Group I and Group II respectively with ‘t’ value
M. B. Dash (*) : R. Murali Mother Theresa Postgraduate & Research Institute of Health Sciences, Pondicherry 605006, India e-mail: [email protected]
of 5.644, (p
SCIENTIFIC LETTER
Effect of Delayed Cord Clamping on Hemoglobin Level of Newborns Manju Bala Dash & R. Murali
Received: 28 December 2013 / Accepted: 27 March 2014 # Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation 2014
To the Editor: Anemia is a common disorder. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia is highest among children and thus, its prevention during infancy is a priority. The first step to reduce anemia can be taken at the time of birth. Delayed cord clamping could be a cost-effective intervention to improve the iron status of infants by enhancing their red cell mass [1]. It allows time for the transfer of fetal blood in the placenta to the infant at the time of birth. “Placental transfusion” can provide the infant with an additional 30 % more blood volume and up to 60 % more red blood cells, the only oxygen-carrying component in the body. Both are lost with immediate cord clamping [2, 3]. A study was conducted among 61 term infants- 30 in Group I (cord clamped within 15 s of birth) and 31 in Group II (cord clamped at 3 min of birth or immediately after cessation of pulsation). Hemoglobin level was checked from cord blood and after 24 h by heel prick method. The mean hemoglobin level of subjects at birth was 17.15±1.56 and 19.97±1.51 in Group I and Group II respectively with ‘t’ value
M. B. Dash (*) : R. Murali Mother Theresa Postgraduate & Research Institute of Health Sciences, Pondicherry 605006, India e-mail: [email protected]
of 5.644, (p
