In ‘Umbilical cord clamping after birth’ (BMJ 2007;335:312) [1] the experts tell us:
The cord clamp is not a part of human anatomy or human physiology.If it is applied before physiological cord closure, it disrupts normalanatomy and physiology, injuring the child by blocking placentalrespiration, and by clamping neonatal blood volume in the placenta.
Placental blood transfusion is an essential component ofphysiological birth; it is controlled by the child’s reflexes andterminated by physiological cord vessel closure. The neonate thus attainsan optimal, physiological blood volume. This additional blood establishesthe pulmonary circulation and activates all other life support organs inthe healthy neonate. Transition from placental to neonatal life supportmay be complete within a minute or two, but it may take more than 20minutes. [3]
Critics have accused hospitals of harvesting the umbilical cord for their own commercial ends, a practice thatwarrants further scrutiny in a new era of awareness of the wholesale mistrust in government-controlledmedicine.
During pregnancy, the umbilical cord vein carries oxygen-rich blood and nutrients from the placenta to thebaby, and the arteries return deoxygenated blood and waste products, such as carbon dioxide, to theplacenta.
A baby’s blood supply is independent of its mother’s, and remains within this closed circuit throughoutpregnancy, labour and birth. As the baby is squeezed through the birth canal or an abdominal incision (if it’sa caesarean birth), a lot of the baby’s blood is pushed back into the placenta. But as the baby emerges, theumbilical cord – if left to pulsate – returns all of this blood to its rightful owner in a few minutes.
The Coventry University Research Blog (CURB) tells us:
“Aside from reducing the risk of iron-deficiency anaemia, delaying clamping by a fewminutes has a range of other health benefits, including: a reduced lifetime risk of developingchronic lung disease, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, infection and abnormal tissue growths; a reduced risk of bowel infections, death inpremature babies, sepsis and brain haemorrhage in very premature babies; andan increased likelihood of being more sociable and better behaved at age four.”
Babies who have delayed cord clamping also enjoy higher birth weights, compared with babies who havetheir cords clamped immediately.
Umbilical cord clamping is a controversy that has remained under the news ‘radar’ for too long and PrincipiaScientific International is engaging with leading medical professionals to bring wider public attention to thisissue.
References:
[1] BMJ2007; 335doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39282.440787.80(Published 16 August 2007)
[2] www.clinicaladvisor.com, Delayed umbilical cord clamping beneficial for infants (December 27, 2016)
[3] Gunther M. The transfer of blood between the baby and theplacenta in the minutes after birth. Lancet 1957;I:1277-1280.