Spain is the country that more transplants and organ donations carried out, in what is a clear example of the solidarity mood of many of its citizens. That is why, in large part, there are many parents who donate the cord blood of their babies, knowing that the stem cells it contains will be used for research or to transplant people with diseases as serious as leukemia or lymphomas
Until a few years ago the decision was simple: either you donated cord blood, or it stayed in the placenta to end up in the biological waste container. However, for a while, there is a third possibility of choice: late cord clamping, which has been beneficial in full-term babies, and as new research says, very important in premature babies.
Between one and three minutes, according to WHO
The World Health Organization recommends that whenever possible, what is known as "late cord clamping" be carried out, which consists of waiting for one to three minutes for the newborn to receive more blood from the placenta and thus there is less risk of anemia.
Now, what for term babies is a benefit that has so far been dispensed with (it was very rare to wait until a few years ago), for premature babies it can be vital (in fact, in a premature delivery NO donation can be made), and recent research in Australia has shown that late clamping of the umbilical cord could save up to 100,000 lives of premature babies every year.
In Babies and more Delaying the umbilical cord cut may reduce the risk of anemia in babiesNumbers that leave no doubt
As we read in Mothering, the researchers analyzed the births of almost 3,000 premature babies, born before the 37th week of gestation. In their study, they saw that 9% of premature babies studied with an early impingement eventually died. When compared with babies who had had the entire cord at least 60 seconds later, they discovered that the mortality was 6.4%.
This means that out of every 200 babies born prematurely, five survive by doing something as simple as waiting a minute and pinching the cord after. Given that 15 million babies are born prematurely every year, a quick calculation throws up this surprising figure: about 100,000 babies They could save your life every year.
How is it possible?
Although I imagine you will know why, I tell you, in case anyone asks, that the reason is that premature babies are born with less blood than full-term babies, and therefore the risk of anemia is even greater. In addition, there is greater destruction of red blood cells, and it happens at a faster rate than it takes to create new blood cells that replace them; This affects both the immune system and the cardiac level.
In Babies and more Delaying two minutes the cut of the cord favors the baby in the first days of life It is for this reason that some may end up needing a blood transfusion, which is very similar to what happens during the 60 to 180 seconds that pass if the cord is intact and does not clamp until then: a natural 'transfusion' from mother to baby, which provides more blood volume and more red blood cells. In fact, it is estimated that a baby can get to have, in this way, even a third more blood volume.
So is it better to donate or is it better not to do so?
It is a very personal decision. As I said, in the case of having a premature baby there is no doubt, because premature newborns cannot donate cord blood; In this case, the ideal is that whenever possible, a late cord clamp.
If we talk about a full-term baby, the decision is, as we say, each mother and father. For science, and for the sick, cord blood is very important. But nevertheless, It is also beneficial for babies, because it has been seen that the benefits of waiting are observed even when children are 10 years old.
And you can't do both?
Many couples wonder this: can't they let the cord beat a little more, and also donate the cord blood?
The answer is not clear. Although WHO establishes as optimal the 60 seconds after delivery, other research speaks of at least 3 minutes. And that would be too much.
After a minute, and pinching later, it is possible in many cases to obtain a sample that weighs at least 100 grams (This is what the bag with the blood taken from the cord must be weighed in order to be sent); But that does not mean that it is always a valid sample for the transplant.
In Babies and more When the umbilical cord should be cut, according to scienceIt is estimated that 1 in 3 samples does have enough cells to treat patients with leukemia and lymphoma; The rest are used for research.
So, as I say, parents should have all the information and, from there, decide which option we consider best. And in the case of premature babies, as we commented, wait whenever possible.
