Premature babies: Simple procedure by Australian doctors could save thousands of lives each year

Premature babies: Simple procedure by Australian doctors could save thousands of lives each year

The lives of tens of thousands of premature babies could be saved by simply delaying clamping the umbilical cord by one minute, according to Australian doctors.

Key points: Waiting 60 seconds before clamping umbilical cord could save thousands of premature babies

Australian doctors say findings will change how premmie babies are treated

Doctors say delaying clamping is safe for mothers and babies

The team of doctors from the University of Sydney reviewed the findings of 18 clinical trials around the world, involving almost 3,000 babies born before 37 weeks' gestation.

They found waiting 60 seconds before clamping the umbilical cord reduced the risk of deaths by one third.

University of Sydney professor Jonathan Morris said delayed clamping was standard practice in full-term babies, as it had been shown to help babies adapt better to life outside the womb.

Professor Morris said the new research showed it was safe for premature babies too, and it could change how they're treated.

"It meant for every 20 babies born at less than 28 weeks that received delayed cord clamping, one extra baby would survive," he said.

"This is such a significant finding because it's such a simple intervention."

He added that almost every pre-term baby could benefit.

"Not only is it simple, safe and effective, but it saves lives," he said.

"This is such a significant finding because it's such a simple intervention and it saves lives. It's available to every baby born pre-term and it doesn't cost anything."

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Professor Morris said there were several theories why clamping may be beneficial for premature babies.

"It may be that the baby has more time to adapt itself," he said.

"Is it because there is extra blood in the baby's system? Or possibly, it's affecting the baby's resistance to infection because of an added transfusion of white blood cells."

Most premature babies will begin breathing by 60 seconds on their own.

So the delay "may avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful interventions" such as breathing tubes, the doctors found.

Research also found it reduced the need for blood transfusions.

'I am very humbled to have had this technique'

Dove Wiseman-Liversage was 26 weeks' pregnant with Skye when she went into premature labour.

She was part of the ground-breaking study, with doctors holding off clamping Skye's umbilical cord for 60 seconds.

"It's really amazing what science can do," she said.

"Skye is really healthy. We haven't been to hospital and she's thriving, so we're very, very grateful."

Professor Morris said he estimated an extra 2,300 Australian babies would survive each year because of delayed clamping.

"In the world, where there are a million babies born pre-term, literally there will be thousands of babies that are saved by this," he said.

Baby Skye is now a healthy 17-month-old, with a sibling due early next year.

"If this baby was to come early, I'd know we have this technique in place and I'd feel more at ease I guess knowing how beneficial it is," Ms Wiseman-Liversage said.

The findings will be published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Topics: babies---newborns, family-and-children, community-and-society, babies, australia