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 pO(2) value in the delayed versus early clamping group. No significant differences in umbilical vein or artery pCO(2) or HCO(3) (-) 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 pO(2) value in the delayed clamping group.