Umbilical cord blood acid-base and gas analysis after early versus delayed cord clamping in neonates at term

Abstract

Objective: To compare umbilical cord acid-base status and blood gas analysis between umbilical cords clamped within 10 s and at 2 min of delivery. Methods: A total of 158 healthy full-term mothers were randomly assigned to an early clamping (<10 s post-delivery, n = 79) or delayed clamping (2 min post-delivery, n = 79) group. After application of inclusion criteria, umbilical vein blood acid-base status and gases were analyzed in 65 early clamped and 51 delayed clamped cords. Fewer cases could be examined in the umbilical artery: 55 cords in the early clamping group and 44 in the delayed one. Results: Acid-base and gas analysis results did not significantly differ between the groups in the umbilical vein or umbilical artery, with the exception of a higher (p < 0.001) mean umbilical artery pO2 value in the delayed versus early clamping group. No significant differences in umbilical vein or artery pCO 2 or HCO3- values were observed between the early and delayed clamp groups. Conclusions: A delay of 2 min before umbilical cord clamping does not significantly change acid-base and gas analysis results, with the exception of a higher mean umbilical artery pO2 value in the delayed clamping group. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.