Clamping the umbilical cord in newborns should be delayed for a few minutes to allow more vital stem cells to flow from mother to baby, says researchers. This delay would allow more blood to be transferred to the child, meaning physiological ‘gifts’ are handed over in ‘nature’s first stem cell transplant’.
During childbirth, the placenta and umbilical cord start contracting and pumping blood to the newborn. Once the blood has reached an equilibrium, the cord’s pulses cease and the blood flow stops.
The research team from the University of South Florida noted that in western culture the umbilical cord may be clamped too soon –typically between 30 seconds and a minute after birth. Several clinical studies have shown that delaying clamping the umbilical cord not only allows more blood to be transferred but helps prevent anaemia as well.
Cord blood also contains many valuable stem cells, making this transfer of stem cells a process that might be considered the original stem cell transplant.
[Source]
Chapter: Baby :: 25 August 2010
