Comparing Umbilical Cord Milking and Delayed Cord Clamping in Preterm Infants: A Promising Approach

A study supported by the National Institutes of Health suggests that umbilical cord milking, a procedure that involves gently squeezing the cord to push blood into a preterm infant's abdomen, appears to be safe for infants born after 28 weeks. The technique allows for faster response than the standard procedure of delayed cord clamping, reducing the delay for infants in need of immediate assistance. The study found that rates of severe brain bleeding and/or death did not differ significantly between infants who underwent cord milking and those who underwent delayed cord clamping.