Effect of late vs early clamping of the umbilical cord (on haemoglobin level) in full-term neonates.

Sixty term infants delivered vaginally were assigned randomly to one of the two management groups; early cord clamping (ECC) or delayed cord clamping (DCC). Six months after delivery, the children in both groups were called back for follow-up. Blood samples were obtained for measuring haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), serum iron (SI), transferrin saturation (TS) and serum ferritin (SF) levels. The mean Hb, HCT, SI and TS at 6 months were significantly higher in the DCC group (95% confidence interval (CI); p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.024 and p<0.009). The mean SF at 6 months was also higher in the DCC group but it was not significant (p<0.071). Polycythaemia, jaundice and other undesirable side-effects of DCC were not seen.