Delayed Cord Clamping at Term Cesarean

After delivery of a baby, the umbilical cord is cut to separate the baby from the placenta and the mother. The best time to cut the umbilical cord of full term babies is unknown. Traditionally, the umbilical cord is cut immediately at birth. There is however, continued blood flow from the placenta to the baby after delivery and so there may be a benefit to the baby from waiting to cut the cord until one minute after delivery. Studies show that delaying cutting the cord until at least one minute after delivery increases a full term baby's blood count in first two days of life and increases the baby's iron levels. The impact of delaying cutting the umbilical cord on a mother's health is not fully known. Delaying cutting the cord has minimal impact on the mother's health when the baby is delivered vaginally, but it is not known how delaying cutting the cord impacts the mother's health (and specifically the amount of blood a mother loses at delivery) when the baby is delivered by cesarean.