Effects of umbilical cord milking on the need for packed red blood cell transfusions and early neonatal hemodynamic adaptation in preterm infants born ≤1500 g: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial

2024 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations: Summary From the Basic Life Support; Advanced Life Support; Pediatric Life Support; Neonatal Life Support; Education, Implementation, and Teams; and First Aid Task Forces

This is the eighth annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations; a more comprehensive review was done in 2020. This latest summary addresses the most recent published resuscitation evidence reviewed by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task force science experts. Members from 6 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the quality of the evidence, using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria, and their statements include consensus treatment recommendations. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in the Justification and Evidence-to-Decision Framework Highlights sections. In addition, the task forces list priority knowledge gaps for further research.

Risk factors associated with anemia of prematurity requiring red blood cell transfusion in very low birth weight infants: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Anemia of prematurity (AOP) is prevalent among very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs). Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions, while necessary for managing AOP, have been linked to adverse neonatal outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 98 VLBWIs (24-31 weeks gestation) admitted to the Chungbuk National University Hospital neonatal intensive care unit. Infants were categorized based on RBC transfusion status and birth weight (< 1000 g and 1000-1499 g). Clinical outcomes between the groups were compared.

RESULTS

Of the 98 infants, 35 (35.7%) received RBC transfusions. The RBC transfusion group exhibited significantly higher incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia ([Formula: see text]moderate), prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation, intraventricular hemorrhage (grades 1-2), extended time to full enteral feeding, and extended total parenteral nutrition (TPN) compared to the non-RBC transfusion group. Birth weight was inversely correlated with the number of RBC transfusions (p = 0.004). The duration of invasive mechanical ventilation and TPN administration were positively associated with the number of RBC transfusions (p < 0.001 and p = 0.025, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The RBC transfusion group experienced more comorbidities than the non-transfusion group. Birth weight, duration of invasive ventilation, and duration of TPN were associated with the number of RBC transfusions. Strategies to reduce the duration of invasive ventilation and early discontinuation of TPN may mitigate the need for RBC transfusions in AOP.

[Interpretation of 2023 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics focused update on neonatal resuscitation guidelines]

In November 2023, the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics jointly released key updates to the neonatal resuscitation guidelines based on new clinical evidence. This update serves as an important supplement to the "Neonatal resuscitation: 2020 American Heart Association guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care". The aim of this paper is to outline the key updates and provide guidance on umbilical cord management and the selection of positive pressure ventilation equipment and its additional interfaces in neonatal resuscitation.

2023 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics Focused Update on Neonatal Resuscitation: An Update to the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

This 2023 focused update to the neonatal resuscitation guidelines is based on 4 systematic reviews recently completed under the direction of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Neonatal Life Support Task Force. Systematic reviewers and content experts from this task force performed comprehensive reviews of the scientific literature on umbilical cord management in preterm, late preterm, and term newborn infants, and the optimal devices and interfaces used for administering positive-pressure ventilation during resuscitation of newborn infants. These recommendations provide new guidance on the use of intact umbilical cord milking, device selection for administering positive-pressure ventilation, and an additional primary interface for administering positive-pressure ventilation.

Deferred cord clamping, cord milking, and immediate cord clamping at preterm birth: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Umbilical cord clamping strategies at preterm birth have the potential to affect important health outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of deferred cord clamping, umbilical cord milking, and immediate cord clamping in reducing neonatal mortality and morbidity at preterm birth.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis. We searched medical databases and trial registries (from database inception until Feb 24, 2022; updated June 6, 2023) for randomised controlled trials comparing deferred (also known as delayed) cord clamping, cord milking, and immediate cord clamping for preterm births (<37 weeks' gestation). Quasi-randomised or cluster-randomised trials were excluded. Authors of eligible studies were invited to join the iCOMP collaboration and share individual participant data. All data were checked, harmonised, re-coded, and assessed for risk of bias following prespecified criteria. The primary outcome was death before hospital discharge. We performed intention-to-treat one-stage individual participant data meta-analyses accounting for heterogeneity to examine treatment effects overall and in prespecified subgroup analyses. Certainty of evidence was assessed with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019136640.

FINDINGS

We identified 2369 records, of which 48 randomised trials provided individual participant data and were eligible for our primary analysis. We included individual participant data on 6367 infants (3303 [55%] male, 2667 [45%] female, two intersex, and 395 missing data). Deferred cord clamping, compared with immediate cord clamping, reduced death before discharge (odds ratio [OR] 0·68 [95% CI 0·51-0·91], high-certainty evidence, 20 studies, n=3260, 232 deaths). For umbilical cord milking compared with immediate cord clamping, no clear evidence was found of a difference in death before discharge (OR 0·73 [0·44-1·20], low certainty, 18 studies, n=1561, 74 deaths). Similarly, for umbilical cord milking compared with deferred cord clamping, no clear evidence was found of a difference in death before discharge (0·95 [0·59-1·53], low certainty, 12 studies, n=1303, 93 deaths). We found no evidence of subgroup differences for the primary outcome, including by gestational age, type of delivery, multiple birth, study year, and perinatal mortality.

INTERPRETATION

This study provides high-certainty evidence that deferred cord clamping, compared with immediate cord clamping, reduces death before discharge in preterm infants. This effect appears to be consistent across several participant-level and trial-level subgroups. These results will inform international treatment recommendations.

FUNDING

Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

Interventions to Reduce Severe Brain Injury Risk in Preterm Neonates: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance

Interventions to reduce severe brain injury risk are the prime focus in neonatal clinical trials.

Objective

To evaluate multiple perinatal interventions across clinical settings for reducing the risk of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (sIVH) and cystic periventricular leukomalacia (cPVL) in preterm neonates.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) databases were searched from inception until September 8, 2022, using prespecified search terms and no language restrictions.

Study Selection

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated perinatal interventions, chosen a priori, and reported 1 or more outcomes (sIVH, cPVL, and severe brain injury) were included.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Two co-authors independently extracted the data, assessed the quality of the trials, and evaluated the certainty of the evidence using the Cochrane GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach. Fixed-effects pairwise meta-analysis was used for data synthesis.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The 3 prespecified outcomes were sIVH, cPVL, and severe brain injury.

Results

A total of 221 RCTs that assessed 44 perinatal interventions (6 antenatal, 6 delivery room, and 32 neonatal) were included. Meta-analysis showed with moderate certainty that antenatal corticosteroids were associated with small reduction in sIVH risk (risk ratio [RR], 0.54 [95% CI, 0.35-0.82]; absolute risk difference [ARD], -1% [95% CI, -2% to 0%]; number needed to treat [NNT], 80 [95% CI, 48-232]), whereas indomethacin prophylaxis was associated with moderate reduction in sIVH risk (RR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.52-0.79]; ARD, -5% [95% CI, -8% to -3%]; NNT, 20 [95% CI, 13-39]). Similarly, the meta-analysis showed with low certainty that volume-targeted ventilation was associated with large reduction in risk of sIVH (RR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.36-0.72]; ARD, -9% [95% CI, -13% to -5%]; NNT, 11 [95% CI, 7-23]). Additionally, early erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (RR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.57-0.83]; ARD, -3% [95% CI, -4% to -1%]; NNT, 34 [95% CI, 22-67]) and prophylactic ethamsylate (RR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.48-0.97]; ARD, -4% [95% CI, -7% to 0%]; NNT, 26 [95% CI, 13-372]) were associated with moderate reduction in sIVH risk (low certainty). The meta-analysis also showed with low certainty that compared with delayed cord clamping, umbilical cord milking was associated with a moderate increase in sIVH risk (RR, 1.82 [95% CI, 1.03-3.21]; ARD, 3% [95% CI, 0%-6%]; NNT, -30 [95% CI, -368 to -16]).

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this study suggest that a few interventions, including antenatal corticosteroids and indomethacin prophylaxis, were associated with reduction in sIVH risk (moderate certainty), and volume-targeted ventilation, early erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, and prophylactic ethamsylate were associated with reduction in sIVH risk (low certainty) in preterm neonates. However, clinicians should carefully consider all of the critical factors that may affect applicability in these interventions, including certainty of the evidence, before applying them to clinical practice.

Cord management strategies in multifetal gestational births

Multifetal gestations are associated with high risks of neonatal mortality and morbidities primarily due to prematurity. Delayed cord clamping and cord milking facilitate the postnatal transition and improve outcomes. Limited evidence shows that delayed cord clamping for 30-60 s and cord milking are feasible without causing harm and potentially beneficial in uncomplicated multifetal deliveries. However, data on maternal bleeding from the limited studies are inconsistent. Based on current knowledge of the risk vs. benefits, it is reasonable to perform delayed cord clamping or cord milking (>28 weeks of gestation) in uncomplicated monochorionic and dichorionic multiples. Clearly defined criteria for suitable candidates, indications for clamping or milking the cord during delivery, and improved obstetric techniques in Cesarean deliveries are critical to minimize risks and optimize neonatal transition. Research is needed to identify safe and optimal cord-management strategies for improving survival and long-term outcomes in this high-risk population.

Umbilical cord milking-benefits and risks

The most common methods for providing additional placental blood to a newborn are delayed cord clamping (DCC) and umbilical cord milking (UCM). However, DCC carries the potential risk of hypothermia due to extended exposure to the cold environment in the operating room or delivery room, as well as a delay in performing resuscitation. As an alternative, umbilical cord milking (UCM) and delayed cord clamping with resuscitation (DCC-R) have been studied, as they allow for immediate resuscitation after birth. Given the relative ease of performing UCM compared to DCC-R, UCM is being strongly considered as a practical option in non-vigorous term and near-term neonates, as well as preterm neonates requiring immediate respiratory support. However, the safety profile of UCM, particularly in premature newborns, remains a concern. This review will highlight the currently known benefits and risks of umbilical cord milking and explore ongoing studies.

A newborn's "life line" - A review of umbilical cord management strategies

Literature supporting various umbilical management strategies have increased substantially over the past decade. Delayed cord clamping and umbilical cord milking are increasing embraced by obstetricians and neonatologists, and multiple international governing bodies now endorse these practices. This review summarizes the benefits and limitations of the different umbilical cord management strategies for term, near-term, and preterm neonates. Additional studies are underway to elucidate the safety profile of these practices, long term outcomes, and variations within these strategies that could potentially augment the benefits.

The hematological impact of umbilical cord milking versus delayed cord clamping in premature neonates: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The hematological impact of umbilical cord milking (UCM) was compared to that of delayed cord clamping (DCC) as a faster placental transfusion technique for preterm neonates (between 24 and 34 + 6 weeks gestation). A comparison of important neonatal morbidities was also made.

METHODS

This was an open-label randomized trial conducted from June 8, 2017, to April 22, 2019. Two hundred patients with preterm deliveries (24 and 34 + 6 weeks gestation) were assigned to the DCC or UCM group at random at a ratio of 1:1. The study power was 80% for a difference in the hematocrit value of 3% and Hb value of one gram, and an alpha error of 0.05.

RESULTS

The following variables were analyzed in the comparison of UCM vs. DCC: first draw hemoglobin: 17.0 ± 1.9 vs. 16.8 ± 1.8 gm/dl (95% CI -0.75-0.29, P 0.383); first draw hematocrit: 55.6 ± 6.4 vs. 55.2 ± 6.4% (95% CI -2.18-1.38, P 0.659); peak hematocrit: 56.9 ± 6.4 vs. 56.3 ± 6.7% (95% CI -2.41-1.26, P 0.537); the need for respiratory assistance (47% vs. 30%, P 0.020), inotropes (16% vs. 6%, P 0.040), and blood transfusion (26% vs. 12%, P 0.018); and the occurrence of intraventricular hemorrhage (9% vs. 5%, P 0.407), necrotizing enterocolitis (6% vs. 2%, P 0.279), sepsis (25% vs. 15%, P 0.111), and neonatal death (13% vs. 4%, P 0.40).

CONCLUSION

UCM facilitated a rapid transfer of placental blood equivalent to that of DCC for premature neonates. However, it resulted in increased rates of interventions and morbidities, especially in extremely preterm neonates.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The clinical trial was registered on May 10, 2017, with registration number (NCT03147846).

Umbilical Cord Management in Late Preterm and Term Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to compare the effects of three different methods of umbilical cord management on hematological parameters in term and late-preterm infants.

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized controlled trial comparing intact-umbilical cord milking (I-UCM) with cut-umbilical cord milking (C-UCM) and immediate cord clamping (ICC) in neonates born >35 weeks' gestation.

RESULTS

A total of 587 infants were evaluated. Of these, 197 were assigned to I-UCM, 190 to C-UCM, and 200 to ICC. Mean hemoglobin and hematocrit levels at 48 hours of age were higher in I-UCM group compared with the ICC group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.010, respectively).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that I-UCM is more beneficial choice. Further trials are needed to assess the various long- and short-term effects of different cord milking methods.

KEY POINTS

· This is the first study comparing these three methods (I-UCM, C-UCM, and ICC) concurrently.. · I-UCM is more beneficial choice.. · Although the terms I-UCM and C-UCM are often used interchangeably, these are different procedures..

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with an Intact Umbilical Cord

The body of literature supporting different umbilical management strategies has increased over the past decade as the role of cord management in neonatal transition is realized. Multiple international governing bodies endorse delayed cord clamping, and this practice is now widely accepted by obstetricians and neonatologists. Although term and preterm neonates benefit in some ways from delayed cord clamping, additional research on variations in this practice, including resuscitation with an intact cord, aim to find the optimal cord management practice that reduces mortality and major morbidities.

Umbilical Cord Milking in Extremely Preterm Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Cord Milking with Immediate Cord Clamping

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess potential benefits of umbilical cord milking (UCM) when compared with immediate cord clamping (ICC) in extremely preterm infants.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a single-center, randomized controlled trial of infants 24^0/7 to 27^6/7 weeks' gestation who received UCM versus ICC. In the experimental group, 18 cm of the umbilical cord was milked three times. The primary aim was to assess the initial hemoglobin and to assess the number of blood transfusions received in the first 28 days after birth. Secondary outcomes were also assessed, including intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). A priori, neurodevelopmental follow-up was planned at 15 to 18 months corrected gestational age (CGA).

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics for 56 enrolled infants were similar in both groups with a mean gestational age of 26.1 ± 1.2 weeks and a mean birth weight of 815 ± 204 g. There were no differences in the mean initial hemoglobin in the UCM group when compared with the ICC group, 13.7 ± 2.0 and 13.8 ± 2.6 g/dL, respectively (p = 0.95), with no differences in median number of blood transfusions after birth between the ICC group and the UCM group, 2 (interquartile range [IQR]: 1-4) versus 2.5 (IQR: 1-5) (p = 0.40). There was also no difference in the rate of severe IVH. At 15 to 18 months CGA, there were no differences in death or disability in the ICC group compared with the UCM group (26 vs. 22%; p = 1.0) and no differences in neurodevelopmental outcomes.

CONCLUSION

In a randomized trial of ICC versus UCM in extremely preterm infants, no differences were seen in initial hemoglobin or number of blood transfusions.

KEY POINTS

· Umbilical cord milking may be an alternative to delayed cord clamping, but its safety and efficacy are not established in extremely premature infants.. · There are minimal available published data on the longer term neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely premature infants who receive umbilical cord milking compared with immediate clamping.. · We did not find a significant difference in the primary outcomes of initial hemoglobin and blood transfusions between the groups, nor did we find a difference in severe IVH with umbilical cord milking..

2021 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations: Summary From the Basic Life Support; Advanced Life Support; Neonatal Life Support; Education, Implementation, and Teams; First Aid Task Forces; and the COVID-19 Working Group

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation initiated a continuous review of new, peer-reviewed published cardiopulmonary resuscitation science. This is the fifth annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations; a more comprehensive review was done in 2020. This latest summary addresses the most recently published resuscitation evidence reviewed by International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task force science experts. Topics covered by systematic reviews in this summary include resuscitation topics of video-based dispatch systems; head-up cardiopulmonary resuscitation; early coronary angiography after return of spontaneous circulation; cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the prone patient; cord management at birth for preterm and term infants; devices for administering positive-pressure ventilation at birth; family presence during neonatal resuscitation; self-directed, digitally based basic life support education and training in adults and children; coronavirus disease 2019 infection risk to rescuers from patients in cardiac arrest; and first aid topics, including cooling with water for thermal burns, oral rehydration for exertional dehydration, pediatric tourniquet use, and methods of tick removal. Members from 6 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the quality of the evidence, according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria, and their statements include consensus treatment recommendations or good practice statements. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in Justification and Evidence-to-Decision Framework Highlights sections. In addition, the task forces listed priority knowledge gaps for further research.

2021 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations: Summary From the Basic Life Support; Advanced Life Support; Neonatal Life Support; Education, Implementation, and Teams; First Aid Task Forces; and the COVID-19 Working Group

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation initiated a continuous review of new, peer-reviewed published cardiopulmonary resuscitation science. This is the fifth annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations; a more comprehensive review was done in 2020. This latest summary addresses the most recently published resuscitation evidence reviewed by International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task force science experts. Topics covered by systematic reviews in this summary include resuscitation topics of video-based dispatch systems; head-up cardiopulmonary resuscitation; early coronary angiography after return of spontaneous circulation; cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the prone patient; cord management at birth for preterm and term infants; devices for administering positive-pressure ventilation at birth; family presence during neonatal resuscitation; self-directed, digitally based basic life support education and training in adults and children; coronavirus disease 2019 infection risk to rescuers from patients in cardiac arrest; and first aid topics, including cooling with water for thermal burns, oral rehydration for exertional dehydration, pediatric tourniquet use, and methods of tick removal. Members from 6 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the quality of the evidence, according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria, and their statements include consensus treatment recommendations or good practice statements. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in Justification and Evidence-to-Decision Framework Highlights sections. In addition, the task forces listed priority knowledge gaps for further research.

Association of Umbilical Cord Management Strategies With Outcomes of Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

It is unclear which umbilical cord management strategy is the best for preventing mortality and morbidities in preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review and conduct a network meta-analysis comparing 4 umbilical cord management strategies for preterm infants: immediate umbilical cord clamping (ICC), delayed umbilical cord clamping (DCC), umbilical cord milking (UCM), and UCM and DCC.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched from inception until September 11, 2020.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized clinical trials comparing different umbilical cord management strategies for preterm infants were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Data were extracted for bayesian random-effects meta-analysis to estimate the relative treatment effects (odds ratios [OR] and 95% credible intervals [CrI]) and surface under the cumulative ranking curve values.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was predischarge mortality. The secondary outcomes were intraventricular hemorrhage, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, need for packed red blood cell transfusion, and other neonatal morbidities. Confidence in network meta-analysis software was used to assess the quality of evidence and grade outcomes.

RESULTS

Fifty-six studies enrolled 6852 preterm infants. Compared with ICC, DCC was associated with lower odds of mortality (22 trials, 3083 participants; 7.6% vs 5.0%; OR, 0.64; 95% CrI, 0.39-0.99), intraventricular hemorrhage (25 trials, 3316 participants; 17.8% vs 15.4%; OR, 0.73; 95% CrI, 0.54-0.97), and need for packed red blood cell transfusion (18 trials, 2904 participants; 46.9% vs 38.3%; OR, 0.48; 95% CrI, 0.32-0.66). Compared with ICC, UCM was associated with lower odds of intraventricular hemorrhage (10 trials, 645 participants; 22.5% vs 16.2%; OR, 0.58; 95% CrI, 0.38-0.84) and need for packed red blood cell transfusion (9 trials, 688 participants; 47.3% vs 32.3%; OR, 0.36; 95% CrI, 0.23-0.53), with no significant differences for other secondary outcomes. There was no significant difference between UCM and DCC for any outcome.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Compared with ICC, DCC was associated with the lower odds of mortality in preterm infants. Compared with ICC, DCC and UCM were associated with reductions in intraventricular hemorrhage and need for packed red cell transfusion. There was no significant difference between UCM and DCC for any outcome. Further studies directly comparing DCC and UCM are needed.

Umbilical Cord Management for Newborns <34 Weeks' Gestation: A Meta-analysis

CONTEXT

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation prioritized scientific review of umbilical cord management strategies at preterm birth.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of umbilical cord management strategies (including timing of cord clamping and cord milking) in preterm infants <34 weeks' gestation.

DATA SOURCES

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and trial registries were searched through July 2019 for randomized controlled trials assessing timing of cord clamping and/or cord milking.

STUDY SELECTION

Two authors independently assessed trial eligibility, extracted data, appraised risk of bias, and assessed evidence certainty (GRADE).

DATA EXTRACTION

We identified 42 randomized controlled trials (including 5772 infants) investigating 4 different comparisons of cord management interventions.

RESULTS

Compared to early cord clamping, delayed cord clamping (DCC) and intact-cord milking (ICM) may slightly improve survival; however, both are compatible with no effect (DCC: risk ratio: 1.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.00 to 1.04, n = 2988 infants, moderate certainty evidence; ICM: risk ratio: 1.02, 95% confidence interval: 0.98 to 1.06, n = 945 infants, moderate certainty evidence). DCC and ICM both probably improve hematologic measures but may not affect major neonatal morbidities.

LIMITATIONS

For many of the included comparisons and outcomes, certainty of evidence was low. Our subgroup analyses were limited by few researchers reporting subgroup data.

CONCLUSIONS

DCC appears to be associated with some benefit for infants born <34 weeks. Cord milking needs further evidence to determine potential benefits or harms. The ideal cord management strategy for preterm infants is still unknown, but early clamping may be harmful.

Interventions to minimize blood loss in very preterm infants-A systematic review and meta-analysis

Blood loss in the first days of life has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants. In this systematic review we included randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of interventions to preserve blood volume in the infant from birth, reduce the need for sampling, or limit the blood sampled. Mortality and major neurodevelopmental disabilities were the primary outcomes. Included studies underwent risk of bias-assessment and data extraction by two review authors independently. We used risk ratio or mean difference to evaluate the treatment effect and meta-analysis for pooled results. The certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. We included 31 trials enrolling 3,759 infants. Twenty-five trials were pooled in the comparison delayed cord clamping or cord milking vs. immediate cord clamping or no milking. Increasing placental transfusion resulted in lower mortality during the neonatal period (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.00; participants = 595; trials = 5; I2 = 0%, moderate certainty of evidence) and during first hospitalization (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51, 0.96; 10 RCTs, participants = 2,476, low certainty of evidence). The certainty of evidence was very low for the other primary outcomes of this review. The six remaining trials compared devices to monitor glucose levels (three trials), blood sampling from the umbilical cord or from the placenta vs. blood sampling from the infant (2 trials), and devices to reintroduce the blood after analysis vs. conventional blood sampling (1 trial); the certainty of evidence was rated as very low for all outcomes in these comparisons. Increasing placental transfusion at birth may reduce mortality in very preterm infants; However, extremely limited evidence is available to assess the effects of other interventions to reduce blood loss after birth. In future trials, infants could be randomized following placental transfusion to different blood saving approaches. Trial registration: PROSPERO CRD42020159882.

Short-term efficacy of umbilical cord milking in preterm infants: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To systematically evaluate short-term efficacy of UCM versus other interventions in preterm infants.

METHODS

Six engines were searched until February 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing UCM versus immediate cord clamping (ICC), delayed cord clamping (DCC), or no intervention. Primary outcomes were overall mortality, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA); secondary outcomes were need for blood transfusion, mean blood pressure (MBP), serum hemoglobin (Hb), and ferritin levels. Random-effects meta-analyses were used.

RESULTS

Fourteen RCTs (n = 1708) were included. In comparison to ICC, UCM did not decrease mortality (RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-1.1), IVH (RR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-1.0), or PDA (RR 1.0, 95% CI 0.7-1.5). However, UCM reduced need of blood transfusion (RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.9) and increased MBP (MD 2.5 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.5-4.5), Hb (MD 1.2 g/dL, 95% CI 0.8-1.6), and ferritin (MD 151.4 ng/dL, 95% CI 59.5-243.3). In comparison to DCC, UCM did not reduce mortality, IVH, PDA, or need of blood transfusion but increased MBP (MD 3.7, 95% CI 0.6-6.9) and Hb (MD 0.3, 95% CI -0.2-0.8). Only two RCTs had high risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

UCM did not decrease short-term clinical outcomes in comparison to ICC or DCC in preterm infants. Intermediate outcomes improved significantly with UCM.

IMPACT

In 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), umbilical cord milking (UCM) did not reduce mortality, intraventricular hemorrhage, or patent ductus arteriosus compared to immediate (ICC) or delayed cord clamping (DCC). UCM improved mean blood pressure and hemoglobin levels compared to ICC or DCC. In comparison to ICC, UCM reduced the need for blood transfusion. We updated searches until February 2020, stratified by type of control, and performed subgroup analyses. There was low quality of evidence about clinical efficacy of UCM. Most of RCTs had low risk of bias. UCM cannot be recommended as standard of care for preterm infants.

Umbilical cord management strategies at cesarean section

AIM

To evaluate the effect of different strategies to improve placental transfusion in cesarean section (CS).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of all singleton term pregnancies that underwent CS over 6 months. Delayed umbilical cord clamping (dUCC) was defined as one done at least 60 s after birth. Umbilical cord milking (UCM) was an option when waiting 60 s was deemed unsafe. The two strategies were compared against early (<60 s) umbilical cord clamping (eUCC) without milking. Neonatal hematocrit (Hct) at 48 h was the main outcome variable.

RESULTS

Of the 223 CS in the cohort, 100 were performed in labor and 123 were elective. dUCC was performed in 137, eUCC without milking in 53 and UCM in 33 cases. Neonatal Hct was higher in CS carried out in labor versus in elective CS (59.76% ± 6.17 vs 56.91% ± 5.95, P = 0.001). At multivariate analysis, CS performed in labor (coefficient [coeff.] 3.44, confidence interval [CI] 1.75-5.13, P < 0.001), UCM (coeff. 3.88, CI 1.61-6.14, P = 0.001) and birth weight (coeff. -0.003, CI -0.005 to -0.001, P = 0.001) were the only variables independently associated with neonatal Hct. In elective CS, UCM led to higher neonatal Hct (61.5% ± 5.5) compared to eUCC without milking (55.1% ± 5.5) and dUCC (56.4% ± 5.7, P = 0.001), while in CS performed in labor there were no significant differences among the placental transfusion strategies.

CONCLUSION

In term CS, neonatal Hct is significantly higher when the CS is performed in labor or with UCM. In elective CS, UCM could be a valid option to favor placental transfusion.

Umbilical cord milking in preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of umbilical cord milking in preterm infants.

DESIGN

Randomised controlled trials comparing umbilical cord milking with delayed cord clamping/immediate cord clamping in preterm infants were identified by searching databases, clinical trial registries and reference list of relevant studies in November 2019. Fixed effects model was used to pool the data on various clinically relevant outcomes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Mortality and morbidities in preterm neonates.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies (2014 preterm infants) were included. Five studies (n=922) compared cord milking with delayed cord clamping, whereas 14 studies (n=1092) compared milking with immediate cord clamping. Cord milking, as opposed to delayed cord clamping, significantly increased the risk of intraventricular haemorrhage (grade III or more) (risk ratio (RR): 1.95 (95% CI 1.01 to 3.76), p=0.05). When compared with immediate cord clamping, cord milking reduced the need for packed RBC transfusions (RR:0.56 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.73), p<0.001). There was limited information on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. The grade of evidence was moderate or low for the various outcomes analysed.

CONCLUSION

Umbilical cord milking, when compared with delayed cord clamping, significantly increased the risk of severe intraventricular haemorrhage in preterm infants, especially at lower gestational ages. Cord milking, when compared with immediate cord clamping, reduced the need for packed RBC transfusions but did not improve clinical outcomes. Hence, cord milking cannot be considered as placental transfusion strategy in preterm infants based on the currently available evidence.

Umbilical Cord Milking in Infants Born at <37 Weeks of Gestation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Umbilical cord milking (UCM) could be an alternative in cases where delayed umbilical cord clamping cannot be performed, therefore our objective was to evaluate the effects of UCM in newborns <37 weeks’ gestation. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database of Clinical Trials, the clinicaltrails.gov database for randomized UCM clinical trials with no language restrictions, which we then compared with other strategies. The sample included 2083 preterm infants. The results of our meta-analysis suggest that UCM in premature infants can reduce the risk of transfusion (relative risk (RR)= 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI),0.67–0.90]) and increase hemoglobin(pooled weighted mean difference (PWMD)= 0.89 g/L[95%CI 0.55–1.22]) and mean blood pressure (PWMD=1.92 mmHg [95% CI 0.55–3.25]). Conversely, UCM seems to increase the risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RR = 1.54 [95% CI 1.03–2.29]), compared to the control groups. In infants born at <33 weeks, UCM was associated with a reduced risk of transfusion (RR= 0.81 [95%CI 0.66–0.99]), as well as higher quantities of hemoglobin (PWMD= 0.91 g/L[95%CI 0.50–1.32]). UCM reduces the risk of transfusion in preterm infants, and increases initial hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean blood pressure levels with respect to controls.

Early anemia and neonatal morbidity in extremely low birth-weight preterm infants

Background: Extremely low birth-weight (ELBW) preterm infants remain at high risk for mortality and major morbidities, and nearly all need packed red blood cell transfusions within their first weeks of life. The overall objective of this study was to assess the association between anemia at admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with the neonatal morbidity and mortality in ELBW infants.Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 106 patients with ELBW admitted at our level III NICU from January 2006 to December 2015. The subjects were divided into two groups: (1) patients with anemia at admission and (2) patients without anemia. Their characteristics and outcomes were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, version 24.0 (IBM New York, USA), and a value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Of the 106 ELBW, 34 (32%) presented with anemia at admission and 72 (68%) without anemia. Anemia-naive presented mean hemoglobin at the admission of 12.8 ± 1.5 g/dl and nonanemic 16.8 ± 2.1 g/dl, p < .001). The anemic group presented a lower gestational age (26 ± 2 vs. 27 ± 2 SD weeks, p = .025), greater need for inotropic support (52.9 vs. 31.9%, p = .041), longer period of invasive mechanical ventilation (9 vs. 2 days, p = .012), higher FiO₂ need (0.8 vs. 0.4, p < .001), more frequent hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (HS-PDA) (64.7 vs. 41.7%, p = .006) and severe intra-periventricular hemorrhage (IPVH) (41.2 vs. 16.7%, p = 0.005). The multivariate analysis confirmed an association between anemia at admission and HS-PDA (OR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.1-9.5, p = 0.044) and severe IPVH (OR = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.0-9.9, p = .038). In anemic infants, ionotropic support and IPVH >2 were considered independent factors for mortality.Conclusion: In this ELBW series, the presence of anemia at admission to the NICU was associated with HS-PDA and severe IPVH. Preventive strategies for early anemia must be encouraged.

Effect of timing of umbilical cord clamping and other strategies to influence placental transfusion at preterm birth on maternal and infant outcomes

BACKGROUND

Infants born preterm (before 37 weeks' gestation) have poorer outcomes than infants at term, particularly if born before 32 weeks. Early cord clamping has been standard practice over many years, and enables quick transfer of the infant to neonatal care. Delayed clamping allows blood flow between the placenta, umbilical cord and baby to continue, and may aid transition. Keeping baby at the mother's side enables neonatal care with the cord intact and this, along with delayed clamping, may improve outcomes. Umbilical cord milking (UCM) is proposed for increasing placental transfusion when immediate care for the preterm baby is needed. This Cochrane Review is a further update of a review first published in 2004 and updated in 2012.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects on infants born at less than 37 weeks' gestation, and their mothers of: 1) delayed cord clamping (DCC) compared with early cord clamping (ECC) both with immediate neonatal care after cord clamping; 2) DCC with immediate neonatal care with cord intact compared with ECC with immediate neonatal care after cord clamping; 3) DCC with immediate neonatal care after cord clamping compared with UCM; 4) UCM compared with ECC with immediate neonatal care after cord clamping.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (10 November 2017), and reference lists of retrieved studies. We updated the search in November 2018 and added nine new trial reports to the awaiting classification section to be assessed at the next update.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing delayed with early clamping of the umbilical cord (with immediate neonatal care after cord clamping or with cord intact) and UCM for births before 37 weeks' gestation. Quasi-RCTs were excluded.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. Random-effects are used in all meta-analyses. Review authors assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach.

MAIN RESULTS

This update includes forty-eight studies, involving 5721 babies and their mothers, with data available from 40 studies involving 4884 babies and their mothers. Babies were between 24 and 36+6 weeks' gestation at birth and multiple births were included. The data are mostly from high-income countries. Delayed clamping ranged between 30 to 180 seconds, with most studies delaying for 30 to 60 seconds. Early clamping was less than 30 seconds and often immediate. UCM was mostly before cord clamping but some were milked after cord clamping. We undertook subgroup analysis by gestation and type of intervention, and sensitivity analyses by low risk of selection and attrition bias.All studies were high risk for performance bias and many were unclear for other aspects of risk of bias. Certainty of the evidence using GRADE was mostly low, mainly due to imprecision and unclear risk of bias.Delayed cord clamping (DCC) versus early cord clamping (ECC) both with immediate neonatal care after cord clamping (25 studies, 3100 babies and their mothers)DCC probably reduces the number of babies who die before discharge compared with ECC (average risk ratio (aRR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54 to 0.98, 20 studies, 2680 babies (moderate certainty)).No studies reported on 'Death or neurodevelopmental impairment' in the early years'.DCC may make little or no difference to the number of babies with severe intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH grades 3 and 4) (aRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.39, 10 studies, 2058 babies, low certainty) but slightly reduces the number of babies with any grade IVH (aRR 0.83, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.99, 15 studies, 2333 babies, high certainty).DCC has little or no effect on chronic lung disease (CLD) (aRR 1.04, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.14, 6 studies, 1644 babies, high certainty).Due to insufficient data, we were unable to form conclusions regarding periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) (aRR 0.58, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.30, 4 studies, 1544 babies, low certainty) or maternal blood loss of 500 mL or greater (aRR 1.14, 95% CI 0.07 to 17.63, 2 studies, 180 women, very low certainty).We identified no important heterogeneity in subgroup or sensitivity analyses.Delayed cord clamping (DCC) with immediate neonatal care with cord intact versus early cord clamping (ECC) (one study, 276 babies and their mothers)There are insufficient data to be confident in our findings, but DCC with immediate neonatal care with cord intact may reduce the number of babies who die before discharge, although the data are also compatible with a slight increase in mortality, compared with ECC (aRR 0.47, 95% CI 0.20 to 1.11, 1 study, 270 babies, low certainty). DCC may also reduce the number of babies who die or have neurodevelopmental impairment in early years (aRR 0.61, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.96, 1 study, 218 babies, low certainty). There may be little or no difference in: severe IVH; all grades IVH; PVL; CLD; maternal blood loss ≥ 500 mL, assessed as low certainty mainly due to serious imprecision.Delayed cord clamping (DCC) with immediate neonatal care after cord clamping versus umbilical cord milking (UCM) (three studies, 322 babies and their mothers) and UCM versus early cord clamping (ECC) (11 studies, 1183 babies and their mothers)There are insufficient data for reliable conclusions about the comparative effects of UCM compared with delayed or early clamping (mostly low or very low certainty).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Delayed, rather than early, cord clamping may reduce the risk of death before discharge for babies born preterm. There is insufficient evidence to show what duration of delay is best, one or several minutes, and therefore the optimum time to clamp the umbilical cord remains unclear. Whilst the current evidence supports not clamping the cord before 30 seconds at preterm births, future trials could compare different lengths of delay. Immediate neonatal care with the cord intact requires further study, and there are insufficient data on UCM.The nine new reports awaiting further classification may alter the conclusions of the review once assessed.

The residual blood from segmental umbilical cord milking in preterm delivery

Umbilical cord milking is an alternative procedure providing blood to infants but there is no study in the proper length of umbilical cord and various gestational age. The aim of this study was to measure the blood volume in the umbilical cord of preterm infants at a certain length and to identify the correlation among blood volume, length, and circumference of umbilical cord, gestational age (GA), birth weight and placenta. Seventy-five pregnant women aged 18 years old and above with 24-36⁺⁶ weeks of gestation were included in this cross-sectional study. After delivery, a 15 to 45 cm of umbilical cord was cut and parameters of umbilical cord were recorded. The mean GA at birth was 241.84 ± 20.06 days. The mean length, diameter, and circumference were 23.31 ± 7.66, 1.10 ± 0.18, and 3.56 ± 0.75 cm, respectively. The mean residual blood volume was 11.58 ± 4.99 mL or 0.50 ± 0.18 mL/cm. Total residual blood volume had a significant positive strong correlation with umbilical cord length (r = 0.720, p < .001). To reduce complications from blood overload, the appropriate blood volume for preterm infant should be calculated from birth weight and umbilical cord length.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? The World Health Organisation recommends delayed cord clamping for newborn infants which neonatal resuscitation was not indicated but the majority of preterm infants needed resuscitation. Umbilical cord milking is an alternative procedure providing blood to infants. A small volume transfusion (10-20 m/kg) is commonly used for replacement in preterm neonates. Although there is a concern about the blood volume transferred into infants, blood volume and proper length of umbilical cord have not been thoroughly investigated.What do the results of this study add? In this study, the mean residual blood volume was 0.5 mL/cm and total residual blood volume had a significant positive strong correlation with umbilical cord length. In subgroup of very low birth weight group, the mean residual blood volume was 0.41 mL/cm; however, there was no statistically significant difference from other birth weight groups.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The appropriate length of umbilical cord for milking can be calculated from the estimated foetal weight and the mean residual blood volume per length (0.5 mL/cm); nevertheless, the calculation should be used with caution. The further study should investigate in extremely preterm or very low birth weight infants.

Umbilical cord milking reduces the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants born before 32 weeks of gestation

OBJECTIVE

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a common complication in extremely preterm infants. We aimed to demonstrate that umbilical cord milking (UCM) would reduce the incidence of IVH in this at risk population.

STUDY DESIGN

We compared the incidence of IVH in a prospective cohort of consecutively born preterm infants <32 weeks' gestation receiving UCM (n = 33) with a historical cohort that underwent immediate cord clamping (ICC) (n = 36).

RESULTS

No significant differences regarding perinatal characteristics were present between both groups except for chorioamnionitis and preterm rupture of membranes which were more frequent in the UCM group. There was a significant reduction in the incidence of IVH in the UCM group as compared to the ICC group (UCM vs. ICC = 12 vs. 33%, p = 0.037; OR = 0.276 (95% CI 0.079-0.967; p = 0.033; NNT = 4.7) and a reduction in the number of transfusions (UCM vs. ICC = 56 vs. 30%, p = 0.035; OR = 0.348 (0.129-0.938; p = 0.033; NNT = 3.8). UCM was safe for mothers (similar decrease in maternal hemoglobin) and offspring.

CONCLUSION

UCM significantly reduced the incidence of IVH in preterm infants < 32 weeks' gestation without associated complications for mother or offspring.

Cord milking versus immediate clamping in preterm infants: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether umbilical cord milking (UCM) at birth improves systemic blood flow and short-term outcomes, as compared with immediate cord clamping (ICC).

DESIGN

Randomised clinical trial.

SETTING

Single tertiary care centre.

PATIENTS

Infants born to eligible women presenting in preterm labour between 24 and 31 weeks' gestation.

INTERVENTIONS

UCM three times at birth or ICC.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome included systemic blood flow as represented by echo-derived superior vena cava(SVC) flow at 4-6 hours after birth. The echocardiographer and interpreter were blinded to the randomisation. Secondary outcomes included cardiac output, neonatal morbidities and mortality. Analysis was by intention to treat.

RESULTS

A total of 73 infants were randomised (37 to UCM and 36 to ICC). Mean (SD) gestational age was 27 (2) weeks and mean (SD) birth weight was 1040 (283) g. Haemoglobin on admission was higher in the UCM than in the ICC group (16.1 vs 15.0 g/L), p=0.049 (mean difference 1.1, 95% CI 0.003 to 2.2). No statistically significant differences were found between groups in SVC flow at 4-6 hours (88.9±37.8 and 107.3±60.1 mL/kg/min), p=0.13 (mean difference -18.4, 95% CI -41.7 to 5.0 mL/kg/min) or at 10-12 hours of age (102.5±41.8 and 90.6±28.4 mL/kg/min), p=0.17 (mean difference 12.0, 95% CI -4.7 to 28.7 mL/kg/min), cardiac output or neonatal morbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

Cord milking was not shown to improve functional cardiac outcomes, neonatal morbidity or mortality. More research is needed before routine cord milking can be recommended for very preterm infants.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01487187.

Cut umbilical cord milking: an ineffective method of placental transfusion in preterm infants?

Objective: To determine if umbilical cord milking performed on a cut umbilical cord segment increased the hemoglobin/hematocrit, with a reduction in the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage, need for blood transfusions, and pressor requirement in infants with <35-weeks gestation.Study design: This was a single center, observational study in the NICU. One-hundred-six neonates received cut umbilical cord milking and two hundred ninety seven served as historical controls.Result: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in hemoglobin/hematocrit, peak bilirubin values, the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage, need for blood transfusions, and the use of pressors.Conclusion: This is the first study using the cut umbilical cord milking technique that includes neonates with <35-weeks gestation. The procedure is safe but did not result in an increase in hemoglobin/hematocrit, nor did it reduce the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage, need for blood transfusions, and pressor use.

Turkish Neonatal Society guideline on the management of respiratory distress syndrome and surfactant treatment

Respiratory distress syndrome is the leading cause of respiratory failure in preterm infants. The incidence and severity of respiratory distress syndrome are inversely related to the gestational age of the newborn. The major underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are surfactant deficiency and anatomic, structural immaturity of the lung. Recent improvements such as antenatal steroid treatment to enhance pulmonary maturity, appropriate resuscitation facilitated by placental transfusion and immediate use of continuous positive airway pressure for alveolar recruitment, early rescue administration of surfactant, ventilation with gentler modes to minimize damage to the immature lungs, and the other supportive therapies have significantly decreased respiratory distress syndrome-related morbidity and mortality. This guideline was addressed to overview the mentioned improvements in order to standardize respiratory distress syndrome management in neonatal intensive care units in Turkey.

Umbilical Cord Milking: A Review

This is a review of umbilical cord milking, a controversial technique where the umbilical cord is squeezed several times before it is clamped an cut. While not physiological or natural for newborns, the question lies as to whether it is useful in certain circumstances, namely the depressed newborn. Here we review the literature and discuss why it could be considered as an alternative for the current practice of delayed cord clamping.

Umbilical cord milking in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of cord milking on short term morbidity and hematologic parameters at 6 weeks in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation.

METHODS

This trial randomized preterm infants requiring resuscitation to milking group and no milking group. Multiple pregnancy, Rh negative mothers, hydrops, cord abnormalities were excluded. The primary outcome was hemoglobin and serum ferritin at 6 weeks of life. Secondary outcomes were common preterm morbidities and mortality.

RESULTS

60 neonates were included in the study. Infants in the milking group had higher hemoglobin (10.07 g/dl vs 8.9 g/dl; p 0.003) and higher serum ferritin level (244.8 ng/ml vs 148.5 ng/ml; p 0.04) compared to no milking group.

CONCLUSIONS

In preterm neonates requiring resuscitation, umbilical cord milking results in higher hemoglobin and ferritin at 6 weeks of life. It can be a used as a placental transfusion strategy in preterm neonates requiring resuscitation with no significant adverse effects.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical trials registry -India CTRI/2015/01/005436, www.ctri.nic.in.

[Focus on placental transfusion for preterm neonates: Delayed cord clamping and/or milking?]

Anemia of prematurity remains a common complication despite recent advances in perinatal and neonatal medicine. The delayed cord clamping (at least 30seconds as recommended) has several benefits: increased hemoglobin and hematocrit levels at birth, improved initial hemodynamic, decreased incidence of transfusions and intraventricular hemorrhages. When the birth transition is difficult, wait 30seconds before clamping can be impossible. So as not to interfere with the neonatal resuscitation, the "milking" has been proposed as an alternative method to the delayed cord clamping. This is a safe and easy method, which can be done either by an obstetrician or pediatrician with comparable results for the child on his hemodynamic, hematological and neurological status. It still lacks technical information on this method and neurodevelopmental outcomes of these preterm infants.

Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping in the 21st Century: Indications for Practice

BACKGROUND

Health care providers have debated the timing of umbilical cord clamping since the days of Aristotle. Delayed cord clamping was the mainstay of practice until about the 1950s when it was changed to immediate clamping on the basis of a series of blood volume studies combined with the introduction of active management of the third stage of labor. However, in recent years, several systematic reviews advise that delayed cord clamping should be used in all births for at least 30 to 60 seconds.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this article is to discuss the physiology of umbilical cord clamping, the potential benefits and adverse effects of delayed cord clamping, and how this affects the advanced practice nurse.

SEARCH STRATEGY

A search of PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, and Clinical Key was used to find relevant research on the topic of umbilical cord clamping.

RESULTS

Potential benefits of delayed cord clamping include decreased frequency of iron-deficiency anemia in the first year of life with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes in term infants, reduced need for blood transfusions, possible autologous transfusion of stem cells, and a decreased incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage. Apprehension exists regarding the feasibility of the practice as well as the potential hindrance of immediate resuscitation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

There is a need to begin to look for populations for which delayed cord clamping can be implemented.

IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

Recommendations are inconsistent on the patient population and timing; therefore, further studies are needed to understand the multiple variables that affect timing of umbilical cord clamping.

Minimizing blood loss and the need for transfusions in very premature infants

Reducing blood loss and the need for blood transfusions in extremely preterm infants is part of effective care. Delayed cord clamping is well supported by the evidence and is recommended for infants who do not immediately require resuscitation. Cord milking may be an alternative to delayed cord clamping; however, more research is needed to support its use. In view of concerns regarding the increased risk for cognitive delay, clinicians should avoid using hemoglobin transfusion thresholds lower than those tested in clinical trials. Higher transfusion volumes (15 mL/kg to 20 mL/kg) may decrease exposure to multiple donors. Erythropoietin is not recommended for routine use due to concerns about retinopathy of prematurity. Elemental iron supplementation (2 mg/kg/day to 3 mg/kg/day once full oral feeds are achieved) is recommended to prevent later iron deficiency anemia. Noninvasive monitoring (eg, for carbon dioxide, bilirubin) and point-of-care testing reduce the need for blood sampling. Clinicians should strive to order the minimal amount of blood sampling required for safe patient care, and cluster samplings to avoid unnecessary skin breaks.

Prevention of the anaemia of prematurity

Despite recent advances in neonatal and perinatal medicine, extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW) are at high risk of developing anaemia of prematurity (AOP) requiring packed red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. The benefit of transfusing allogenic RBCs for AOP is a controversial issue, except for disturbances in tissue oxygenation. Although the role of erythropoietin (EPO) in the pathophysiology of AOP is well known, neither early nor late recombinant human EPO therapy alters the number or volume of RBC transfusions. It is also known that one-half of the feto-placental blood volume remains outside the newborn infant's circulation at 30 weeks of gestation if the umbilical cord is clamped immediately. Delayed cord clamping (DCC) and umbilical cord milking (UCM) are the main methods for enhancing placental transfusion. The basic principle of these approaches depends on providing high haemoglobin (Hb) levels to premature infants in the delivery room. The enhancement of placental transfusion clearly results in higher Hb levels at birth, reducing the need for RBC transfusions as well as creating a better haemodynamic status during the initial hours of life. To date, enhancement of placental transfusion in the delivery room by either DCC or UCM seems to be the best preventive measure for AOP. Yet, studies on the associated neurodevelopmental outcomes are insufficient to reach a conclusion. This review summarizes the pathophysiology, treatment and preventative strategies of anaemia of prematurity in light of the current literature.

One-time umbilical cord milking after cord cutting has same effectiveness as multiple-time umbilical cord milking in infants born at <29 weeks of gestation: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

To compare two strategies to potentiate the effects of placental transfusion in infants born at <29 weeks of gestation.

STUDY DESIGN

Twenty infants who received one-time umbilical cord milking after umbilical cord cutting were compared with 20 infants from a previous study group who received multiple-time umbilical cord milking. The primary outcome measurements were the probability of not needing a red blood cell (RBC) transfusion during the hospital stay and the total number of RBC transfusions within 21 days after birth.

RESULT

There was no significant difference in the probability of not needing a transfusion during the hospital stay (P=0.75) and the mean number of RBC transfusions given within the first 21 days of life (1.1±1.8 for the one-time umbilical cord-milking group vs 0.7±1.2 for the multiple-time umbilical cord-milking group, P=0.48).

CONCLUSION

One-time umbilical cord milking after umbilical cord cutting had similar beneficial effects to multiple-time umbilical cord milking before umbilical cord cutting in very premature infants.

Umbilical Cord Milking Versus Delayed Cord Clamping in Preterm Infants

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Delayed cord clamping (DCC) is recommended for premature infants to improve blood volume. Most preterm infants are born by cesarean delivery (CD), and placental transfusion may be less effective than in vaginal delivery (VD). We sought to determine whether infants <32 weeks born by CD who undergo umbilical cord milking (UCM) have higher measures of systemic blood flow than infants who undergo DCC.

METHODS

This was a 2-center trial. Infants delivered by CD were randomly assigned to undergo UCM or DCC. Infants delivered by VD were also randomly assigned separately. UCM (4 strippings) or DCC (45-60 seconds) were performed. Continuous hemodynamic measurements and echocardiography were done at site 1.

RESULTS

A total of 197 infants were enrolled (mean gestational age 28 ± 2 weeks). Of the 154 infants delivered by CD, 75 were assigned to UCM and 79 to DCC. Of the infants delivered by CD, neonates randomly assigned to UCM had higher superior vena cava flow and right ventricular output in the first 12 hours of life. Neonates undergoing UCM also had higher hemoglobin, delivery room temperature, blood pressure over the first 15 hours, and urine output in the first 24 hours of life. There were no differences for the 43 infants delivered by VD.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first randomized controlled trial demonstrating higher systemic blood flow with UCM in preterm neonates compared with DCC. UCM may be a more efficient technique to improve blood volume in premature infants delivered by CD.

Is umbilical cord milking always an advantage?

OBJECTIVE

The role of cord milking as an alternative to delayed cord clamping is an area that requires more research. Purpose of this clinical trial was to investigate the impact of umbilical cord milking on the absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) and the neutropenia frequency of preterm infants.

METHODS

Fifty-eight pregnant women were randomly assigned to one of the umbilical cord milking and control groups. A total of 54 preterm infants (gestational age ≤ 32 weeks) were enrolled into the study. The umbilical cords of 25 infants were clamped immediately after birth, and in 29 infants, umbilical cord milking was performed first.

RESULTS

The ANCs were statistically significantly lower in the cord milking group compared with the control group on days 1, 3 and 7. The frequency of neutropenia was higher in the cord milking group compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

In our study, ANCs were lower in the cord milking group and the frequency of neutropenia was higher. Umbilical cord milking plays a role on the ANCs of preterm infants.

Umbilical cord milking reduces need for red cell transfusions and improves neonatal adaptation in preterm infants: Meta-analysis

AIM

To assess effects of umbilical cord milking (UCM) on early blood pressure stabilization, hemoglobin (Hb), as well as incidence of transfusion and complications in preterm infants.

METHODS

This meta-analysis was conducted by searching the Pubmed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library (until July 2014) databases. Any clinical trials, including randomized control trials, comparing UCM to immediate cord clamping (ICC) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Six studies were included in this meta-analysis. In total, 292 preterm infants were treated with UCM, while 295 received ICC. Compared to ICC, UCM increased initial Hb significantly by 1.84 g/dL (weighted mean difference; 95%CI: 0.91-2.76; P < 0.0001) and decreased the incidence of transfusion with a pooled risk ratio of 0.74 (95%CI: 0.61-0.90; P = 0.002). Incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and mortality were significantly lower with UCM compared with ICC. Apgar score and temperature were not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

By facilitating the early stabilization of blood pressure, UCM at preterm birth was found to be comparatively safe and associated with lower blood transfusion exposure and lower incidence of IVH, NEC and death.