Cord clamping and cutting at the time of birth is done:

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Entrance-2022

Explanation

Current evidence-based guidelines recommend delaying umbilical cord clamping for 30-60 seconds, and ideally for 1-2 minutes, in most healthy newborns.
This practice, known as Delayed Cord Clamping (DCC), allows for placental transfusion, where extra blood from the placenta transfers to the infant.
This process increases the newborn's blood volume and iron stores, which is crucial for preventing iron-deficiency anemia in the first few months of life.
For preterm infants, DCC improves hemodynamic stability and reduces the need for blood transfusions.

Option A: Immediate clamping (within the first minute) is considered early cord clamping. It prevents the newborn from receiving the full benefits of placental transfusion, including vital iron and red blood cells.
Option B: Waiting for 5 minutes is generally longer than the standard recommended timeframe for delayed cord clamping, which is typically 1-3 minutes.
Option C: A delay of 10 minutes is well beyond the evidence-based recommendations for cord clamping and offers no additional proven benefits over a 1-3 minute delay.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Timing of Umbilical Cord Clamping as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in advocating for and implementing delayed cord clamping for vigorous term and preterm infants as per hospital policy.
It is a crucial nursing responsibility to assess the newborn's condition at birth (tone, breathing, heart rate) to determine if they are a candidate for DCC.
Nurses should educate parents on the benefits of DCC, such as improved iron stores and reduced risk of anemia for their baby.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core question: It asks for the recommended timing of umbilical cord clamping.
Recall current evidence-based practice guidelines for newborn care. The standard is now 'delayed cord clamping' (DCC).
Remember the recommended timeframe for DCC, which is typically 30-60 seconds at a minimum, and often 1-3 minutes.
Evaluate the given options against this standard. 'Immediately' is too early (early clamping). '5 minutes' and '10 minutes' are longer than the usual recommendation.
Select the option 'After 1-2 minutes' as it falls squarely within the recommended window for achieving the benefits of DCC.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QLWIK_TPTR6dFphjIGhRvN

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 1079-1081

E6 Obstetrics Williams p. 5-15

Practise the full IGNOU PB Bsc Entrance-2022

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.