Umbilical Cord Clamping
There is a relationship Between Cord Clamping
and Autism
The following researched article relates autism
with decreased oxygen at birth and emphasizes the importance
of allowing the lungs to function before cutting the umbilical
cord. Cord cutting is justified by those who want to whisk
the baby away from the mother to tend to it. But then again,
perhaps the baby is within a limited range of movement with
the attached cord because the baby is supposed to stay right
with the mother. What a concept...
The following article examines
the potential relationship between early cord clamping, infant
asphyxia and autism.
It summarizes:
- " Brain lesions are associated with autism and related disorders[1]."
- " Hypoxic brain lesions in monkeys are associated with intelligence/memory defects similar to autism. [2]"
- "Immediate cord clamping causes newborn hypoxia.
- "Placental oxygenation until the lungs are functioning prevents newborn hypoxia.
- "Placental oxygenation until the lungs are functioning should prevent autism that is caused by hypoxic brain lesions."
- Read the complete study at: http://www.redflagsweekly.com/features/Morley.html
Check out this compilation of additional resources
by the same author on the subject: http://www.cordclamp.com
Early Cord Clamping
Early cord
clamping deprives the baby of 54-160 mL of blood, which represents
up to half of a baby's total blood volume at birth. "Clamping the cord before the infant's
first breath results in blood being sacrificed from other
organs to establish pulmonary perfusion [blood supply to
the lungs]. Fatality may result if the child is already hypovolemic
[low in blood volume]".
Morley, G Cord closure: Can hasty clamping
injure the newborn? OBG Mgmnt 1998 (Jul): 29-36
Early clamping has been linked with an extra risk of anemia
in infancy.
Grajeda R, Perez-Escamilla R, Dewey KG Delayed
clamping of the umbilical cord improves hematologic status
of Guatemalan infants at 2 months of age Am
J Clin Nutr 1997 (Feb); 65 (2): 425-431
Premature
babies who experienced delayed cord clamping--the delay was
only 30 seconds--showed a reduced need for transfusion, less
severe breathing problems, better oxygen levels, and indications
of probable improved long-term outcomes compared with those
whose cords were clamped immediately.
Kinmond S, Aitchison TC,
Holland BM Umbilical
cord clamping and preterm infants: a randomised trial Brit
Med Jou 1993 (Jan 16); 306 (6871): 172-175
Some
studies have shown an increased risk of polycythemia (more
red blood cells in the blood) and jaundice when the cord is
clamped later. Polycythemia may be beneficial in that more
red cells mean more oxygen being delivered to the tissues.
The risk that polycythemia will cause the blood to become too
thick (hyperviscosity syndrome), which is often used as an
argument against delayed cord clamping, seems to be negligible
in healthy babies.
Morley, G Cord closure: Can
hasty clamping injure the newborn? OBG
Mgmnt 1998 (Jul): 29-36
Some evidence shows that the
practice of clamping the cord, which is not practiced by indigenous
cultures, contributes both to postpartum hemorrhage and retained
placenta by trapping extra blood (about 100 mL) within the
placenta. This increases placental bulk, which the uterus cannot
contract efficiently against and which is more difficult to
expel.
Walsh, S Maternal
effects of early and late clamping of the umbilical cord Lancet
1968 (May 11); 1 (7550): 996-997
Clamping the
cord, especially at an early stage, may also cause the extra
blood trapped within the placenta to be forced back through
the placenta into the mother's blood supply during the third
stage contractions. This feto-maternal transfusion increases
the chance of future blood group incompatibility problems,
which occur when the current baby's blood enters the mother's
bloodstream and causes an immune reaction that can be reactivated
in a subsequent pregnancy, destroying the baby's blood cells
and causing anemia or even death.
Doolittle, J. & Moritz Obstet Gynecol
1966; 27:529 and Lapido, O. (1971, March 18). Management
of the third state of labour with particular reference to
reduction of feto-maternal transfusion. BMJ
1971 (Mar 18); 721-723
The above are excerpts from Sarah
Buckley's "A
Natural Approach to the Third Stage of Labour," Midwifery
Today Issue 59