Preterm Care With Umbilical Cord Milking

National Institutes of Health suggests that umbilical cord milking is a safe approach technique for rapid support.

Transfer of blood from the umbilical cord into a preterm infant's body emerges as a potentially safe and swift intervention for those born after 28 weeks, offering a faster response compared to standard procedures as per a study backed by the National Institutes of Health, published in Pediatrics ().

The procedure called umbilical cord milking, involves gently squeezing the cord between the thumb and forefinger and pushing the blood into the newborn’s abdomen.

Stem Cells - Cord Blood
Encyclopedia section of medindia gives general info about Cord Blood

‘Umbilical cord milking is proposed as a potentially safe and rapid intervention for preterm infants born after 28 weeks, presenting a faster response compared to standard procedures. #umbilicalcord, #neonate, #health, #umbilicalcordmilking ’

The new findings suggest that concerns raised by a 2019 study of infants born before 28 weeks—which concluded that umbilical cord milking might increase the risk of bleeding inside the brain—do not apply to preterm infants born after 28 weeks.

Umbilical Cord Insights for Preemies

The standard procedure, delaying cord clamping while blood naturally flows into the infant’s body, takes 30 to 180 seconds.

However, cord milking, takes about 20 seconds, reducing delay for infants who need immediate assistance, such as respiratory support.

Both procedures allow for umbilical cord blood to reach the infant’s body before clamping, reducing the risk of anemia and other complications seen among infants receiving immediate cord clamping and cutting.

Delaying Umbilical Cord Clamping Saves Babies’ Lives: Study
Delayed umbilical cord clamping is usually done in full term babies to help the newborn adapt and adjust to the life outside the womb.

The study was conducted by Anup Katheria, M.D., of the Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns in San Diego, and colleagues in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

It was supported by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

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More than 1,000 infants were randomly assigned either to umbilical cord milking or delayed cord clamping. Rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (bleeding inside the brain) and/or death did not differ significantly between the two groups (just over 1%).

Moreover, the rates of overall intraventricular hemorrhage were also similar between the groups (approximately 12%). The researchers will follow all the infants in the study for two years to observe longer term outcomes.

Umbilical Cord Patch for Spinal Bifida Birth Defect
Human umbilical cord patch is used to treat spinal bifida birth defect as it improves healing, reduces scars, it is effective in watertight closure, and regeneration of meningeal layer.

Reference:

Umbilical Cord Milking Versus Delayed Cord Clamping in Infants 28 to 32 Weeks: A Randomized Trial - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37941523/)

Source-Eurekalert