Delayed Cord Clamping at Delivery of a Newborn- A Position Statement by the College of Paediatrics and the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia

Delayed cord clamping (DCC) is a practice in which the umbilical cord of a newborn is not immediately clamped and cut after birth, but deferred to allow the transfer of vital blood and nutrients from the placenta to the neonate. This position paper, in advocating DCC, highlights some key physiological factors of the newborn transitioning into extrauterine life in justifying the delay in cord clamping. The optimum timing in clamping the cord is also discussed based on the recommendations on best practice from some of the foremost international bodies involved in maternal, fetal and neonatal care. In explaining the benefits of DCC from a scientific perspective, this paper also reviews the significant impact on neonatal health, especially in decreasing intraventricular haemorrhage and circulatory instability in the preterm infant, iron deficiency anaemia, and improving long-term neurodevelopment outcome. Common concerns and potential risks related to DCC such as postpartum haemorrhage and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia are largely disproved. This position paper provides recommendations for healthcare providers and advice for parents in Malaysia, in the hope that DCC will be implemented nationwide soon as a standard of care.