In new study researchers have found that after the birth of newborn, clamping the umbilical cord of newborn should be delayed for few minutes to allow more imperative stem cells to flow from mother to new born baby. This process would allow more blood to be transferred to new born.
It is like a natural stem cell transplant in which physiological gifts are handed to new born. In childbirth process, the umbilical cord and placenta start contracting and pumping the blood to the new born. When the blood has attained at equilibrium level then pulses of cord cease and the flow of blood stops.
In western culture, it is considered to clamp the umbilical cord too soon and it is typically between thirty seconds to one minute after the delivery of the child, explained a research team from the University of South Florida.
But several clinical studies have shown that by delaying clamping the umbilical cord not only lets more blood to be transferred to new born but it also helps to prevent new born from anemia as well, explained Dr Paul Sanberg from the university’s Centre of Excellence for Ageing and Brain Repair.
He further said that cord blood also contained many precious stem cells, making that transfer of stem cells a process that might be considered the original stem cell transplant.
A review of earlier studies has shown that in preterm baby birth by delaying clamping the cord for at least thirty seconds reduced the frequencies of anemia, haemorrhage and decreased the need for transfusion of the blood, explained Dr Dong-Hyuk Park, co-author with Dr Paul Sanberg from the university’s Centre of Excellence for Ageing and Brain Repair.