London - Babies can benefit from a delay in cutting the umbilical cord.
Leaving it intact for three minutes can increase a newborn’s iron levels and reduce the risk of anaemia, research shows.
It is usually cut within the first minute after birth amid concerns that waiting may cause jaundice.
But researchers say there is no evidence that delay causes problems - on the contrary it should be standard care to wait before clamping or cutting the cord.
In a study of 400 infants born after low-risk pregnancies, some had the cord clamped after at least three minutes while others had them clamped less than ten seconds after delivery.
Babies who experienced delays had better iron levels at the age of four months and there were fewer cases of anaemia.
Swedish researchers estimate that for every 20 babies having delayed clamping, one case of iron deficiency would be prevented. There were no adverse health effects caused by the delay, they said in the study published online in bmj.com.
Symptoms of anaemia in the first year of life can include tiredness and rapid heartbeat, although there may be no symptoms at all.
If it is not corrected in time, usually with iron supplements given in drops, it can lead to permanent mental and physical problems.
The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists says there are no UK guidelines on when exactly the cord should be cut but in most cases it happens within one minute. The rate of early cord clamping varies in Europe - from 17 per cent of baby units in Denmark to 90 per cent in France.
A previous survey found three-quarters of cord clamping in the UK occurs straight after birth, while a further 13 per cent takes three minutes.
Leaving it for a while sends oxygen-rich blood to the lungs until the baby’s breathing is fully established and increases iron levels.
While there have been concerns it could lead to jaundice, trials have shown this is not the case, said researcher Dr Ola Andersson, consultant neonatologist at the Hospital of Halland, Halmstad.
“Delayed cord clamping should be considered standard care for full term deliveries after uncomplicated pregnancies,” said Dr Andeersson.
The situation is more complex for babies born by Caesarean section or for those who need support soon after birth, she added.
The World Health Organisation and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics have dropped the practice of fast clamping from their guidelines.
Dr Patrick van Rheenan, consultant paediatrician at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, said enough evidence exists to encourage delayed cord clamping.
“The balance of maternal risks and infant benefits of delayed cord clamping now clearly favours the child,” he wrote in an editorial.
“How much more evidence is needed to convince obstetricians and midwives that it is worthwhile to wait for three minutes to allow for placental transfusion, even in developed countries?” - Daily Mail