Effects of Placental Transfusion on Late Preterm Infants Admitted to a Mother–Baby Unit

Abstract

Objective Well-appearing late preterm infants admitted to a mother baby unit may benefit from either delayed cord clamping (DCC) or umbilical cord milking (UCM). However, there are concerns of adverse effects of increased blood volume such as polycythemia and hyperbilirubinemia. The purpose of this study is to examine the short-term effects of placental transfusion on late preterm infants born between 350/7 and 366/7 weeks of gestation. Study Design In this pre- and postimplementation retrospective cohort study, we compared late preterm infants who received placental transfusion (161 infants, DCC/UCM group) during a 2-year period after guideline implementation (postimplementation period: August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2019) to infants who had immediate cord clamping (118 infants, ICC group) born during a 2-year period before implementation (preimplementation period: August 1, 2015 to July 31, 2017). Results The mean hematocrit after birth was significantly higher in the DCC/UCM group. Fewer infants had a hematocrit <40% after birth in the DCC/UCM group compared with the ICC group. The incidence of hyperbilirubinemia needing phototherapy, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, or readmissions to the hospital for phototherapy was similar between the groups. Fewer infants in the DCC/UCM group were admitted to the NICU primarily for respiratory distress. Symptomatic polycythemia did not occur in either group. Median hospital length of stay was 3 days for both groups. Conclusion Placental transfusion (DCC or UCM) in late preterm infants admitted to a mother baby unit was not associated with increased incidence of hyperbilirubinemia needing phototherapy, symptomatic polycythemia, NICU admissions, or readmissions to the hospital for phototherapy. Key Points

Toward greater nuance in delayed cord clamping

“…Among healthy term infants, there was no association of hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy with either DCC (2 min) or UCM in a randomized noninferiority trial [7]. A pre/post comparison after implementation of DCC/UCM among late preterm infants showed a similar incidence of hyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, NICU admission, and readmission for phototherapy [8]. Among another vulnerable group, infants of diabetic mothers, DCC resulted in comparable peak transcutaneous bilirubin and no difference in phototherapy or polycythemia [9].…”