Umbilical cord clamping. An analysis of a usual neonatological conduct.

Here we described a critical analysis of the neonatological procedure of early cord clamping, meaning this, within 40 seconds after birth. Fifty three cases are here analysed, in which this practice was not performed, but instead a late umbilical cord clamping was done after birth or after the cord had stopped beating. Variations in hematocrito values within 24 to 36 hours after birth were studied. A transitory polycithemia, with a maximum peak 12 hours post-delivery was observed. These values returned to normal levels between 24 and 36 hours after birth. K vitamin was not administered to any of the newborns. No pathology appeared related to this transitory polycithemia. In can be concluded that the late umbilical cord clamping represents no risk to the new-born and that the pathological phenomena described under these circumstances may be attributed to the increase in K vitamin dependent coagulation factors that are induced by the routinary administration of phitonadione to all normal newborns.