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Seven-month developmental outcomes of very low birth weight infants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of delayed versus immediate cord clamping

Journal of Perinatology volume 30, pages 11–16 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

The results from our previous trial revealed that infants with delayed cord clamping (DCC) had significantly lesser intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) than infants with immediate cord clamping (ICC). A priori, we hypothesized that infants with DCC would have better motor function by 7 months corrected age.

Study Design:

Infants between 24 and 31 weeks were randomized to ICC or DCC and follow-up evaluation was completed at 7 months corrected age.

Result:

We found no differences in the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) scores between the DCC and ICC groups. However, a regression model of effects of DCC on motor scores controlling for gestational age, IVH, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis and male gender suggested higher motor scores of male infants with DCC.

Conclusion:

DCC at birth seems to be protective of very low birth weight male infants against motor disability at 7 months corrected age.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the parents and the staff who participated in this study. Their trust and cooperation were essential to our success. We would also like to thank Richard Tucker, Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, for his expert assistance with data analyses and interpretation. This study was supported by the National Institute of Health, National Institute for Nursing Research, K23 NR00078.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    J S Mercer & D A Erickson-Owens

  2. Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    B R Vohr, J F Padbury & W Oh

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  1. J S Mercer
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  2. B R Vohr
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  3. D A Erickson-Owens
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  4. J F Padbury
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  5. W Oh
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Correspondence to J S Mercer.

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Mercer, J., Vohr, B., Erickson-Owens, D. et al. Seven-month developmental outcomes of very low birth weight infants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of delayed versus immediate cord clamping. J Perinatol 30, 11–16 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2009.170

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