There are many terms bandied about when you’re pregnant, some are easier to figure out like, vaginal vs Casearean birth and premature labour, whereas others are a bit more mystical, such as Delayed Cord Clamping (DCC).
A report by JAMA Pediatrics cited that 4 year olds who had experienced delayed cord clamping had improved fine motor and social skills over their peers. Sounds like a no brainer, right? However, it’s important to be fully informed before making any choices during pregnancy and birth so we’ve pulled all the information together for you into one blog post so you can decide if this is right for you.
The umbilical cord is the organ that has attached your baby to the placenta throughout the pregnancy. It has been the means through which all essential life giving fluids have been transferred to your unborn child. Once he or she is born, delaying the cutting of this cord by between 1 and 3 minutes or longer allows extra blood, oxygen and stem cells to be absorbed by your child.
DCC is recommended as it allows extra blood to reach your baby. It can mean up to a third more blood is transferred to your precious new born. This in turn, means more iron is received by your baby which is vital for healthy brain development. Common side effects from lack of iron include cognitive impairment and central nervous problems.
Discuss with your midwife or doctor to see if this procedure is right for you. If you decide to do DCC, your healthcare provider will wait at least 1 minute and anything up to 5 minutes, although the average is 3 minutes, before clamping and cutting the umbilical cord. Make sure this is in your birth plan.
Is some situations DCC is not recommended. If you are bleeding heavily after the birth you will need medical attention quickly and there may not be time to allow for DCC. Also, if there is an issue with the placenta, such as placental abruption, placenta praevia, vasa praevia or the cord is bleeding so the blood is not getting to the baby then DCC will not be suitable.
If your baby needs help breathing and there are no facilities to allow assistance with this next to you DCC also may not be possible.
There are some concerns that babies who undergo DCC may increase the risk of them developing jaundice requiring light treatment (phototherapy). However, most experts agree that the benefits of DCC outweigh the risks.
DCC can absolutely still be an option if you have a planned or emergency c section. Make sure your doctor or midwife is aware that you want to do this beforehand.
DCC has been shown to have numerous benefits for premature babies. These include:-
If you’re at risk of having a premature baby, discuss the options with your healthcare team.
It’s perfectly possible to do both DCC and Stem cell collection. There is approximately 200 milliliters (ml) of blood in the placenta and umbilical cord. A minimum of 60ml is needed for cord blood storage. Delayed cord clamping is recommended to last between one and three minutes, according to the World Health Organization. This transfers about 80-100 ml of blood into the baby. This leaves an ample amount of blood left to allow for cord blood collection. However, if you’re planning to bank your child’s stem cells, it’s advisable to only delay for up to 60 seconds to achieve the optimum level of cells needed for a good sample. For more details, click here
Schedule a call with one of CellSave’s educational consultants to discuss if Delayed Cord Clamping and stem cell banking is right for your family!
If you want more information about CellSave, watch our video for all the details:
As expectant parents, you want the very best for your little one. One option to consider for your baby’s future health is newborn stem cell banking. By storing your baby’s umbilical cord blood and placenta, you could gain access to valuable stem cells with the potential to treat various diseases. Is it worth it? Let’s […]
Pregnancy is a time of joy and anticipation, but it also requires careful consideration of both the mother’s and baby’s health, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. For expectant mothers observing Ramadan, the decision to fast should be made with careful consideration and consultation with healthcare providers. CellSave, a leader in newborn stem cell […]
Pregnancy, a remarkable time filled with anticipation, excitement, and a touch of nervousness. As you prepare to welcome your little bundle of joy into the world, there’s a whirlwind of tasks to tackle and decisions to make. To help ease the overwhelm, we’ve created a comprehensive checklist of 10 pregnancy essentials that every expecting parent […]
Join the millions of families that are taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve their powerful newborn’s stem cells at birth.
oRDER NOW
