Babies at risk as midwives ‘still cut cord too quickly’
MIDWIVES are putting babies at risk by ignoring official guidelines that say they should not clamp the umbilical cord too early, according to campaigners.
Rules introduced two years ago stipulate that midwives should wait at least 60 seconds after delivery before stopping the blood flow from mother to newborn, because doing so earlier than that can harm the child.
For decades, most midwives have clamped and cut the cord within seconds of the birth, believing that leaving it increased the mother’s risk of haemorrhage. But recent research highlighted the danger to the baby of early clamping, including increasing the chances of anaemia and subsequent development problems.
Midwife Amanda Burleigh, who campaigned for the change, said many of her colleagues were refusing to alter their practice. She has received dozens of letters from new mothers upset that their midwives cut the cord immediately despite the new guidance, and said parents – and even fellow health professionals – were being denied information about the dangers of early clamping.
She added: ‘I’m very concerned that nearly two years after the guidance was issued, some midwives appear to be sticking to a practice that is not beneficial for the baby.
‘I meet student midwives who haven’t been told about the guidance as part of their training, and others who tell me that senior midwives are still sticking by the old ways.’
Andrew Weeks, professor of maternal health at Liverpool University, said: ‘I am not surprised there is resistance to something that has been taken for granted as the right thing to do for decades. But midwives have to accept the evidence and move forward.’
Mervi Jokinen, practice and standards adviser at the Royal College of Midwives, said the organisation fully supported moves to make delayed cord-clamping the norm.
She added: ‘We would expect all women to know about the pros and cons of clamping before delivery.’