Umbilical Cord Milking and Premature Babies: Technique Helps Improve Blood Flow

A health technique may help increase blood flow into a prematurely born baby's umbilical cord, improving both blood pressure and red blood cell levels, while simultaneously reducing the risk of bleeding in the brain.

The new study found that "umbilical cord milking," which uses the thumb and the forefinger to gently squeeze the umbilical cord and slowly push blood toward the child's abdomen, was particularly beneficial for pre-term infants born via Caesarean section.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommend waiting between 30 and 60 seconds after delivering a baby to cut the cord, which is thought adequte time to fill blood vessels in the lungs, increase blood pressure to normal levels and prevent brain hemorrhage, according to UPI.

"The study results are very encouraging," said Tonse Raju, M.D., chief of NICHD's Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch, in a news release. "The findings need to be confirmed in a larger number of births, but at this point, it appears that umbilical cord milking may prove to be of great benefit to preterm infants delivered via cesarean."

The study included 197 mothers, 154 of which had babices that were delivered by C-section. The participants were split into groups at random that either would or would not use cord milking before cutting the umbilical cord.

Findings revealed that infants delivered by C-section whose cords were milked before being cut had higher blood flow, higher blood pressure and higher hemoglobin levels, indicating a better quantity of red blood cells.

More information regarding the findings were published in the journal Pediatrics.

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