For some years now, various studies and scientific investigations have found that delaying the cutting of the umbilical cord has various benefits for the baby, both short and long term.
But according to a new study, both the way the umbilical cord is cut and when it is done could help save the lives of premature babies and help them have fewer long-term health complications.
The study
Published in the journal Pediatrics , this new research consisted of a review and meta-analysis of 42 studies that looked at the various forms of clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord in premature infants .
Analyzing the information of almost 6,000 babies who were born prematurely, that is, before 34 weeks of gestation, the study aimed to analyze how the way and when the umbilical cord was cut influenced their health and survival.
According to the statistics reviewed in the study, more than 15 million babies are born prematurely each year around the world, and of these, around a million of them die, while those who survive are at high risk of developing difficulties health or chronic diseases .
According to their analysis, delaying the cutting of the umbilical cord in a preterm delivery would improve the future health conditions of the baby and could even save his life , so this strategy should be considered the norm in this type of delivery, unless the baby requires another immediate intervention.
On the other hand, milking the umbilical cord , which consists of gently squeezing it to push the blood towards the baby’s abdomen, would also be a good alternative for premature deliveries, since it provides similar benefits to late cutting, but they clarify that this only in premature babies born after the 28th week of pregnancy.
The researchers comment that both techniques are easy to perform and do not require any special equipment , so it is hoped that doctors can learn and begin to apply them when attending premature births, if they are not already doing so.
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Via | Baby gaga
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