Association Between Blood Volume, the Interval From Delivery to Cord Clamping, and Number of Umbilical Cord Milking

Overview

Delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC), usually 1-3 minutes, is reported to be beneficial for term and preterm infants. Nevertheless, there are reasons that urge us to reevaluate the effect of DCC. First, most prior studies were conducted on American and European women. The benefits of DCC in the infants born to Asian women is not clear. Second, neonates born to Asian mothers usually have lower birth weights and placental weights compared to the neonates and placentas of American and European women. The optimal duration of DCC in Asian women remains undetermined. The objective of this study is to determine the association between the blood volume collected and the interval from delivery to cord clamping and number of umbilical cord milking in women with normal term pregnancies with vaginal delivery or elective cesarean delivery (CS). Results form this study will help us determine the optimal duration of DCC or numbers of cord milking in our population in the following studies.

Full Title of Study: “Investigation on the Effects of Delayed Cord Clamping on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes: Part I. Association Between Blood Volume, the Interval From Delivery to Cord Clamping, and Number of Umbilical Cord Milking”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
    • Masking: None (Open Label)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: June 23, 2021

Detailed Description

Delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC), usually 1-3 minutes, is reported to be beneficial for term and preterm infants. In term infants, DCC increases hemoglobin levels at birth and improves iron stores in the first several months of life, which may have a favorable effect on development outcomes. In preterm infants, the benefits of DCC include improved transitional circulation, better establishment of red blood cell volume, decreased need for blood transfusion, and lower incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and intraventricular hemorrhage. DCC was not associated with increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage or increased blood loss at delivery, nor was it associated with the need for blood transfusion. Three is a small increase in the incidence of jaundice that requires phototherapy in infants undergoing DCC. Given the benefits of most newborns, a number of professional organizations recommends DCC in term and preterm infants, when feasible. There are reasons that urge us to reevaluate the effect of DCC in our population. First, most prior studies were conducted on American and European women. The benefits of DCC in the infants born to Asian women is not clear. Second, neonates born to Asian mothers usually have lower birth weights and placental weights compared to the neonates and placentas of American and European women. The optimal duration of DCC in Asian women remains undetermined. With the aforementioned reasons, the investigators will conduct a study to clarify the effects of DCC and umbilical cord milking on maternal and neonatal outcomes in Taiwanese women. Our objective is to determine the association between the blood volume collected and the interval from delivery to cord clamping and number of umbilical cord milking in women with normal term pregnancies with vaginal delivery or elective cesarean delivery (CS);.

Interventions

  • Procedure: cord blood spontaneous drainage
    • In women allocated to groups of cord blood spontaneous drainage, two clamps will placed at 4 finger breadths from the infant’s abdomen and cut between two clamps after delivery of the baby. The clamp on the placental site will be removed and the drainage time and amount of cord blood to a measuring glass will be recored.
  • Procedure: Umbilical cord miking
    • In women allocated to groups of cord milking group, two clamps will placed at 4 finger breadths from the newborn’s abdomen and cut between two clamps immediately after delivery of the baby. The clamp on the placental site will be removed, then the umbilical cord will be squeezed several times, 5 seconds between each squeezing, to collect cord blood in a measuring glass. The number of cord milking and the volume of blood collected will be recorded.

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: vaginal delivery with cord blood spontaneous drainage
    • In women allocated to groups of cord blood spontaneous drainage, two clamps will placed at 4 finger breadths from the infant’s abdomen and cut between two clamps immediately after delivery of the baby. The clamp on the placental site will be removed and the drainage time and amount of cord blood to a measuring glass will be recorded.
  • Experimental: vaginal delivery with cord milking
    • In women allocated to groups of cord milking group, two clamps will placed at 4 finger breadths from the newborn’s abdomen and cut between two clamps immediately after delivery of the baby. The newborns will be taken care by the nurse. The clamp on the placental site will be removed, then the umbilical cord will be squeezed several times, 5 seconds between each squeezing, to collect cord blood in a measuring glass. The number of cord milking and the volume of blood collected will be recorded.
  • Experimental: CS with cord blood spontaneous drainage
    • In women allocated to groups of cord blood spontaneous drainage, two clamps will placed at 4 finger breadths from the infant’s abdomen and cut between two clamps immediately after delivery of the baby. The clamp on the placental site will be removed and the drainage time and amount of cord blood to a measuring glass will be recorded.
  • Experimental: CS with cord milking
    • In women allocated to groups of cord milking group, two clamps will placed at 4 finger breadths from the newborn’s abdomen and cut between two clamps immediately after delivery of the baby. The newborns will be taken care by the nurse. The clamp on the placental site will be removed, then the umbilical cord will be squeezed several times, 5 seconds between each squeezing, to collect cord blood in a measuring glass. The number of cord milking and the volume of blood collected will be recorded.

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Blood volume
    • Time Frame: delivery of the baby
    • Total cord blood volume collected with spontaneous drainage or cord milking

Secondary Measures

  • Hemoglobin difference
    • Time Frame: Change from admission for delivery to the next day after delivery
    • The difference of maternal hemoglobin level before and after delivery
  • Hematocrit difference
    • Time Frame: Change from admission for delivery to the next day after delivery
    • The difference of maternal hematocrit level before and after delivery

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • Women with a normal singleton term pregnancy (37-41 weeks of gestation) and preparing for vaginal delivery – Women with a normal singleton term pregnancy (37-41 weeks of gestation) and preparing for CS for previous CS or fetal malpresentation Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancies complicated by gestational hypertensive disorders, diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, placenta previa, multiple gestation, fetal growth restriction, fetal anomalies (chromosomal or structural), and reassuring fetal heart rate tracing during delivery. – Women plan to store her cord blood in a cord blood bank.

Gender Eligibility: Female

Minimum Age: 20 Years

Maximum Age: 45 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Principal Investigator: Tai-Ho Hung, Attending physician, Dept of Obs & Gyn – Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Tai-Ho Hung, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

References

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