Effect of Delayed Cord Clamp on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Third-stage labor with a Delayed Cord Clamp (DCC), is still being discussed and there are currently no definite regulations or instructions for doctors to abide by, and little knowledge exists on the possible consequences for both the mother and the baby. Aim: Evaluate the effect of delayed cord clamp on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods: The posttest-only quasi-experimental research design was carried out. This study was conducted at the labor and delivery unit at Mansoura University Hospital (MUH). A convenient sample of 200 laboring mothers. The first 100 mothers were the study group. The second 100 mothers were the control group. Four tools were utilized to gather data. structured interview questionnaire the maternal assessment, the maternal satisfaction questionnaire and the neonatal assessment tool. Results: More than three-quarters of the study group compared to less than two-thirds of the control group had a duration third stage of labor within 5-10 minutes with a highly statistically significant difference at (p=0.001). Three cases of postpartum hemorrhage occur in the DCC group as compared to 5% in the control group. There was a noticeable contrast in the health of newborn babies between the two groups after 24 hours, particularly in regard to hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin, and total bilirubin levels. Conclusion: Delayed cord clamp is a safe and simple procedure during the third stage of labour and is associated with better maternal and neonatal outcomes with no adverse effects. Recommendations: DCC should be performed routinely on all laboring mothers throughout the third stage of labor in all delivery units.