Effect of Umbilical Cord Milking vs Delayed Cord Clamping on Venous Hematocrit at 48 Hours in Late Preterm and Term Neonates: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of intact umbilical cord milking (MUC) and delayed cord clamping (DCC) on venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in late preterm and term neonates (350/7- 426/7 wk).

STUDY

DESIGN

Randomized trial.

SETTING AND

PARTICIPANTS

All late preterm and term neonates (350/7 - 426/7 wk) neonates born in the labor room and maternity operation theatre of tertiary care unit were included.

INTERVENTION: We randomly allocated enrolled neonates to MUC group (cord milked four times towards the baby while being attached to the placenta; n=72) or DCC group (cord clamped after 60 seconds; n=72).

OUTCOME: Primary outcome was venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours of life. Additional outcomes were venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in newborns delivered through lower segment caesarean section (LSCS), incidence of polycythemia requiring partial exchange transfusion, incidence of hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, and venous hematocrit and serum ferritin levels at 6 (±1) weeks of age.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in the MUC group was higher than in DCC group [57.7 (4.3) vs. 55.9 (4.4); P=0.002]. Venous hematocrit at 6 (±1) weeks was higher in MUC than in DCC group [mean (SD), 37.7 (4.3) vs. 36 (3.4); mean difference 1.75 (95% CI 0.53 to 2.9); P=0.005]. Other parameters were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

MUC leads to a higher venous hematocrit at 48 (±6) hours in late preterm and term neonates when compared with DCC.