Nutritionists from the University of California have found that waiting just 2 minutes before clamping a baby's umbilical cord can boost the infant's iron reserves and prevent anemia for months. The findings could have great significance in developing countries, where half of all children become anemic during their first year, putting them at risk of serious developmental problems. Published in The Lancet, the study noted that although iron deficiency is a greater problem in developing countries, it is also a serious issue in wealthy nations like the United States, particularly for low-income and minority families and in lower birth-weight infants or babies born to iron-deficient mothers.
Umbilical-cord clamping halts blood flow from the placenta to the infant in preparation for cutting the umbilical cord. During the past century, it became common practice to clamp the cord about 10 seconds after the baby's shoulders are delivered. However, there has been little scientific research to justify such rapid clamping. "By simply delaying cord clamping for this brief time, we can provide the infant with the extra blood, and the iron it contains, from the placenta," said nutrition professor Kathryn Dewey. "This is an efficient, low-cost way to intervene at birth without harm to the infant or the mother." Dewey added that previous studies conducted on delaying clamping have indicated no risk and some significant benefits to later clamping.
The study, conducted in collaboration with Mexico's National Institute of Public Health, looked at nearly 500 infants, half of which had their umbilical cord clamped at 10 seconds, while the others were clamped at 2 minutes after the baby's shoulders were delivered. Data was then collected when the infants were 2, 4 and 6 months old. The study revealed that just a two-minute delay in cord clamping at birth significantly increased the child's iron status at 6 months of age.
More impressively, the study showed that the impact of delayed clamping is enhanced in infants that have low birth weights, are born to iron-deficient mothers, or do not receive baby formula or iron-fortified milk. "The data show that the two-minute delay in cord clamping increased the child's iron reserve by 27-47 mg of iron, which is equivalent to one to two months of infant iron requirements," Dewey said. "This could help to prevent iron deficiency from developing before 6 months of age, when iron-fortified foods could be introduced."
Source: University of California, Davis
