Introduction & Significance
That’s one incredible cord.
For nine whole months, the little one is swimming inside & around the mother’s womb, and the umbilical cord is life supporter for the baby, constantly delivering nutrients and oxygen from the mother’s body. Since the mother’s pregnancy approaches its end, the umbilical cord starts to deliver a broad supply of protective antibodies to protect the newborn from infection throughout the first three to four months of life.
However, it’s no longer required once the baby is born. Here Umbilical cord clamp comes into consideration, After delivery, the Umbilical cord clamping is necessary to close the navel as it helps to stop the bleeding from the blood vessels to the cord.
The clamping will ensure that there would be no blood droplets coming out from any of the major umbilical blood vessels when the cord is cut to the baby. If the cord was cut without being clamped, then the baby would risk bleeding out, that is why the cord is always clamped first before cutting.
What is an Umbilical Cord Clamp(UCC)?
GST Corporation is one of the prominent Umbilical Cord Clamp manufacturers & exporters in the global market at an affordable price. It is a medical device which is used to clamp or hold the umbilical cord when the Newborn is born. It mainly cuts off blood flow both from the baby and the placenta after the cord is cut. This clamp stops the flow of blood from the placenta to the baby and allows the safe separation of these two. It also tends to reduce the potential risk of infection at the area where the cord is being cut.
How To Use UCC During Childbirth?
Baby should be held lower than the mom’s uterus while waiting for the cord to be clamped, in order to allow gravity to help the blood flow into the baby. These would help the babies to receive 2 to 3 ounces of extra blood. This puts more oxygen in an infant’s blood and places additional iron in every red blood cell, greatly reducing the risk of anaemia and further supporting that precious baby brain.
The devices is placed about 1-2 inches from the baby’s abdomen, and once clamped, the umbilical cord is then cut between the clamp and the placenta.
Feature of Newborn cord clamp
- For immediate clamping of the umbilical cord after delivery.
- Finger grip protects the specimen & facilitates easy handling.
- Grooves are provided all along the length.
- Made of non-toxic medical grade polymer.
- Sterile, non-toxic, and pyrogen free.
- Easy re-open facilities.
- Safety from accidental re-opening.
- Suitable angle to facilitate easy movement for clamping.
- Extremely safe to users and patients because clipping surfaces are safely adjourned in notches to prevent injury.
- Single patient use – does not need to be cleaned or re-sterilized.
Purpose of an UCC-
Some of the significant functions that the UCC plays are as follows:
- Minimise blood loss: The clamping process halts blood flow, hence preventing haemorrhage in the baby and the placenta.
- Prevention of Infection: The clamp causes the seam to be clean cut and is hardly susceptible to infection at the seam site.
- Facilitates Safe Delivery It allows a safe separation of the baby away from the placenta, and this is one of the main reasons for neonatal health.
- Facilitates Healing: When clamped and cut, the stump will dry out and fall off after a few weeks of facilitating healthy healing.
Advantages of using UCC-
- Increases blood flow in Infant
- Reduces the chances of Anaemia
- Reduces the risk of infection in infant
- Promotes Safe Separation.
Selection of Right UCC
The right choice of an UCC at the right time determines the safety and well-being of the newborn babies at the critical moment after birth. Here is some of what you should consider when making a decision for this device as follows:-
- Material Type
- Design Features
- Ease of Use
- Secure Closure:
- Clinical Guidelines
- Functionality
- Safety and Sterility
- Manufacturer Reputation
- Cost and Availability
What is the purpose of Delayed Clamping?
Since we all know about the age-old saying “good things come to those who wait” this is also applicable to clamping of Umbilical Cord!
That wait of just a little bit by clamping the cord can give your baby wonderful advantages. When we delay clamping, babies receive 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 90 millilitres) more blood. This boosts the baby’s oxygen, and every additional red blood cell is packed with extra iron, which reduces the risk of anaemia for the baby and assists with brain development.
Although, doctors used to tell to wait until the cord was clamped and hold the baby below the uterus of the mom so that gravity could help the blood flow into the baby. But a study of 391 babies found that the baby receives just as much extra blood placed immediately in the arms of mom as they receive when held down by the vagina.
Delayed clamping of cord has been shown to be beneficial in full-term babies. For preemies, more and more evidence is now coming forth, where benefits may include improvement in fine motor ability and social skills years after birth!
How long should you wait before clamping ?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommended delaying clamping until at least 30 to 60 seconds after birth. The World Health Organization guide concludes by stating that “Delayed umbilical cord clamping (not earlier than a minute after birth) is recommended for improved maternal and infant health and nutrition outcomes.”.
If the umbilical cord is not clamped, what will happen?
Cutting the cord without clamping the cord would put the baby at risk of haemorrhaging, that is why it’s always done before cutting.
Yet, there is one very rare exception in which the cord is not clamped and the parents do not cut the cord; instead they let the cord remain attached to the placenta. Once this has been delivered, the so-called “after birth” and the cord breaks off naturally within 5 to 10 days. This is known as a Lotus birth. Since it’s seen that, all the supply of blood coming from the placenta to the baby is within the first few minutes after birth. So, keeping it attached for longer would not favourable for the babies anyway and makes it much riskier for the baby.