By IANS
Toronto : A brief delay of two minutes in cutting umbilical cords can significantly reduce the risk of anaemia and low iron level in new born babies and improve their health, says a new study.
The Journal of the American Medical Association has revealed that even a brief delay in cutting the cord can significantly improve a child's health, reported the online edition of BBC News.
The results of the latest study show that delayed clamping reduces the incidence of anaemia and improves iron stores in newborns. More importantly, these benefits extend beyond the early neonatal period.
The umbilical cord is a narrow, tube-like structure that connects a developing baby or foetus to the placenta, which is a bag-like organ attached to the lining of the mother's womb that develops temporarily in the uterus during pregnancy. The foetus derives nourishment through the placenta.
The umbilical cords of most babies are cut immediately after birth. Medical practitioners usually clamp the umbilical cord in two places after the baby is delivered and then cut the cord between the two clamps.
But medical experts have been divided over the best time to cut the cord. There is no formal guideline for doctors and midwives about the best time to cut it.
Delayed clamping has previously been linked to an increased risk of jaundice, which in serious cases can harm the baby and affect the brain.
The latest study involving more than 1,900 newborns looked for health risks associated with the delayed clamping. The only risk the researchers found was an increased risk of polycythemia – an overproduction of red blood cells – but this appeared to pose no danger to a baby's health, the researchers said.