Effect of umbilical cord milking in labor on cerebral injury of premature infants

Objective To investigate the effect of umbilical cord milking(UCM)at birth on cerebral injury of premature infants. Methods Totally 45 premature infants were selected and randomly divided into immediate cord clamping(ICC)group, delayed cord clamping(DCC)group and umbilical cord milking(UCM)group, with 15 cases in each group. The blood routine indexes, bilirubin index, cerebral injury condition and neurologic sequelae condition were compared among the three groups. Results At 24 h and 7 d after birth, the levels of red blood cell(RBC), hemoglobin(Hb)and hematocrit(HCT)in the DCC group and the UCM group were significantly higher than those in the ICC group(P<0.05). At 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 h after birth, there was no significant difference in transcutaneous bilirubin level among the three groups(P>0.05). In the DCC group and the UCM group, the incidence and severity of birth asphyxia, the incidence rates of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral hemorrhage, blood transfusion and neurological sequelae, and hospital stay were significantly better than those in the ICC group(P<0.05). Conclusion UCM can effectively improve the blood volume of premature infants, reduce the incidence of cerebral injury and neurologic sequelae, and safety is relatively high.