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What is it
After birth, the cord is left intact for a period (commonly 30–60 seconds or more) before clamping. This allows additional blood to transfer from the placenta to the baby.
How your body works here
In the first minutes after birth, blood continues to move from the placenta into the baby through the still-pulsing cord — up to about a third of the baby's total blood volume. That transfusion brings extra red blood cells (iron stores for months), stem cells, and helps the baby's lungs open by expanding pulmonary blood flow as breathing starts.
Benefits (B)
- Higher iron stores in infancy.Review sources ↓
- Better transitional circulation, especially for preterm babies.Review sources ↓
Risks (R)
- Slight increase in jaundice requiring phototherapy in some studies.Review sources ↓
- Generally considered safe in the absence of specific contraindications.Review sources ↓
Alternatives (A)
- Immediate clamping (sometimes needed for resuscitation or maternal hemorrhage).Review sources ↓
- Umbilical cord milking in certain contexts.Review sources ↓
Evidence summary
ACOG, WHO, and the AAP support delayed cord clamping in vigorous term and preterm infants when feasible.
Sources
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Questions to ask your provider
- How long do you typically wait?
- What situations would change this plan?
Intuition & Nothing/Wait (the I and N in BRAIN)
What is your gut telling you? What happens if you do nothing or wait?
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This is a personal preference, not a decision. Final choices happen in conversation with your care team.
After you talk it through
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